Volunteer opportunities at Penrhyn Castle and Garden

A group of staff and volunteers sit cleaning the copper items in the castle collections in the Victorian Kitchens — Many hands make light work! A group of staff and volunteers clean the copper items in the collections. | © National Trust Images/Sioned Griffiths

Our volunteers are a vital part of the team at Penrhyn Castle. They support the conservation work and welcome visitors to the castle every day. If you are an enthusiastic and dedicated person, why not join our incredible team?

Volunteering opportunities at Penrhyn

We have volunteers in the castle rooms who talk to visitors about the history and collections, volunteers who meet people and help them find their way around the castle and the gardens. We also have volunteer buggy drivers, as well as opportunities in the garden, shop, café, Victorian Kitchen, and with the conservation team.

Find out what opportunities are currently available by going to MyVolunteering and searching for Penrhyn Castle.

Meet some of our Castle Guides

These castle rooms, filled with beautiful objects, incredible craftmanship and fascinating stories, provide the backdrop to where our castle guides welcome thousands of visitors. We talked to a few of our volunteers about their favourite room and object in the castle, their favourite thing about volunteering and what keeps them coming back.

Volunteer standing in the ornate Grand Staircase — Tecwyn standing in the ornate Grand Staircase | © Kristina Banholzer

Tecwyn and the glass lantern

Tecwyn has been volunteering at Penrhyn Castle since he retired in 2018. During his career, he brought students to visit Penrhyn Castle and was inspired to volunteer once his career came to an end. Whilst volunteering, he loves talking to visitors and shares elements of local history and culture with those from far away and those right on our doorstep. Here he is on the Grand Staircase, his favourite part of the castle because it is so light here, thanks to the glass lantern above him. As visitors arrive at the stairs, he enjoys watching them be wowed by the incredible carvings and architecture found in this part of the castle. There’s plenty to talk about here as the carvings depict all sorts of wonders and tell all sorts of stories.

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FAQs

If you're thinking about volunteering but not sure what's involved or what you would like to gain from the experience, we've put together some information to help you take the next step.

Do I need to know the history beforehand?

There is no need to worry if you don’t know a lot of the history of Penrhyn Castle. We’ll provide you with background details as part of your induction. As you continue to volunteer at Penrhyn, you’ll absorb more information, learning about the background of the families who once lived here and where the wealth came from.

How often can I volunteer?

Any time you can give as a volunteer is valuable, and many of our volunteers here at Penrhyn use an online rota to book time they are able to give in advance, allowing us to plan. Even if you are only able to volunteer for a short period of time, we will try to accommodate you and we can arrange for you to work flexibly across different departments.

No matter what your abilities or interests, we will do our best to find a volunteering role that suits you and makes you part of the team here at Penrhyn Castle.

Travel to and from the castle

We can reimburse return journeys from your home to the castle each time you volunteer, with a maximum of 40 miles radius, whether you travel by car or on public transport.

Find out more about volunteering at Penrhyn Castle

If you're inspired and fancy giving volunteering a go, you can find out more by visiting the volunteering vacancies website and search for Penrhyn Castle and Garden. If you'd rather have a chat beforehand to see how volunteering could suit you, call us at the castle on 01248 353084.