Volunteers of Borth Station Museum

During the Easter holidays I visited Borth Station Museum, timed to meet the volunteers while the museum was open. The journey via train through Dovey Junction was a highlight, I saw ospreys on their nest for the first time and have since been following them on Facebook. I will be arranging a trip to the Dyfi Osprey Project in the near future.

Arriving a little early, I sat on the platform and watched the landscape shift with the seasons and the weather while checking my emails. I also chatted to a family who were waiting for the museum to open.

The museum is small but packed with fascinating items, presented with a clear eye for style by Jo, the curator, so it never feels overcrowded. A special display marks the 150th anniversary of the Uppington School’s temporary relocation to Borth in 1876 after a typhoid outbreak in Rutland forced the boarding school to move 200 miles to a local hotel for a year.

From opening time there was a steady stream of visitors. George, Jo and the volunteers greeted everyone warmly and answered questions with impressive knowledge. They made each visitor feel welcome and valued. During a quiet moment they chatted with me about their roles and the museum’s work. When the original GWR station clock needed to be put forward an hour, out came a ladder and it was done in minutes between visitors.

After a cup of tea with George and Jo we walked through Borth. It’s disheartening to see graffiti in places, but there are also uplifting pieces of local art, notably murals by Dean Tweedy, a well-known local artist. Dean and his wife run The Animalarium, a sanctuary for wild animals rescued from the exotic pet trade; one of the murals was an anniversary present to each other. Dean runs Marvellous Murals in Borth as well.

My thanks to George, Jo, and all the volunteers for their warm welcome and for sharing so much about Borth. If you want a volunteering role that’s interesting and rewarding, consider joining them.

Contact: George Romary - borthstationmuseum@gmail.com