Want to volunteer with us but need more information?
We hope you find the answers you need below. If not, feel free to email us at: volunteers@archaeologicalresearchservices.com.
What skills or experience do I need to volunteer with you?
None at all! While many of our volunteers have worked on archaeological sites before, we welcome those who have no previous experience, as training is provided. However, if you want to do fieldwork then you must be willing to carry out manual work in all weathers, whereas if you want to do indoor tasks, such as small finds cleaning and cataloguing or helping with flotation, these tasks require clothing that you don’t mind getting dirt on.
Where might you need me to work?
We operate across the country in both rural and urban locations, so there can be opportunities to work in a variety of places. The office where our small finds processing takes place is in Bakewell and our flotation work takes place in Sheffield. If you have a particular place in mind you would like to work then please let us know. We would ask that you make your own way to site/office, so suitable transport must be available to you.
What clothing or equipment do I need?
- Plenty of warm, waterproof clothes
- Comfortable, sturdy footwear
- Sunscreen and/or a hat to protect you from the sun
- Gloves
- Anti-bacterial hand cleanser/wipes
- A kneeler
- Sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun and wind
- If you volunteer on a development dig then we will issue Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), so we’ll need your feet and clothing sizes.
Will food and drinks be provided?
Sometimes hot drinks such as tea and coffee are provided on-site, but we recommend you bring a flask of hot drink, plenty of drinking water and your own lunch and snacks.
What are the working hours?
Generally, volunteers work 9am-5pm with three breaks, but this is flexible – while some sites, particularly in the summer, might require an earlier start and finish.
Register to be a volunteer here >