Chapel Guide

As a Chapel Volunteer you will be one of the welcoming faces of Sandham to our visitors. Every visitor is special and unique and you will make that visitor's experience feel personal and valued.

You will greet visitors as they arrive in the chapel - they will have been welcomed in visitor reception and explored the exhibition space. You will provide them with a painting guide and will answer questions. No prior knowledge is required - you will learn as you go along and will always have the support of a staff member to answer things about which you are not sure.

Many visitors have stories of their loved ones in the war, or of visiting the chapel long ago, or who knew Spencer which will offer you the chance to share in favourite stories about Stanley, the paintings and the war.

After training you will be responsible for maintaining the light levels in the chapel ensuring the best light for viewing while preserving the on-going legacy of the collection. You will ensure visitors get the best experience from the chapel and ensure the safety of the paintings.

What's in it for you?

The opportunity to:

• Enjoy this beautiful place with its iconic paintings, peaceful surroundings and spectacular views
• Become part of a friendly and dedicated team
• Meet lots of different people and make new friends
• Discover new experiences and learn new skills
• Take pride in helping to share this special place with new and returning visitors

We are based in Burghclere, Hampshire (close to the Carpenters Arms pub) which is 4.7 miles south of Newbury town centre.

About The National Trust - Sandham Memorial Chapel

Sandham Memorial Chapel is the only property within the National Trust dedicated to the First World War and the only property within the UK that marks the "Forgotten War" - the Salonika campaign in Macedonia.

The National Trust is a charity founded in 1895 to preserve our nation’s heritage and open spaces for everyone to enjoy. Over 100 years later these values are still at the heart of everything the Trust does. The Trust’s purpose is to look after special places, forever, for everyone - growing the nation’s love of special places. The Trust recognises that open space, nature and heritage are important in all our lives; they provide an escape, a chance to relax, memorable experiences for all ages as well as opportunities to learn and improve our health.

Sandham is a Grade I listed building containing Sir Stanley Spencer’s visionary paintings, inspired by his own experiences as a medical orderly in the Beaufort hospital in Bristol and Salonika, and later as an Infantryman in Salonika. The paintings took six years to complete in all, and are considered by many to be the artist’s finest achievement.

Sandham Memorial Chapel would not have been possible without the generous patronage of John and Mary Behrend. The Behrends were true art patrons whose generosity was without equal - they paid for the building of the chapel then known as the Oratory of All Souls, the paintings themselves and the cottage in which Spencer and his family lived.

The Oratory of All Souls became known as Sandham Memorial Chapel in memory of Harry Sandham, Mary Behrend’s brother, who like Spencer served in Salonika. Sandham died in 1920 and thus was not recognised as war dead and had no memorial. Sandham Memorial Chapel was gifted to the National Trust in 1947.

We are open from March to November each year.

What skills do I need?

Sandham is looking for people with excellent communication skills, a welcoming manner, a willingness to learn new things and ability to be flexible. No previous knowledge of Spencer's work, the Salonika Campaign, art or history is required, as training and support will be given.

When is this role available?

	Morning	Afternoon	Evening
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

Details

Time commitment: A morning or afternoon once a fortnight, 2 hours. We are open on Wednesday from June to the end of August, then revert to a four day opening.

Where does this role take place?