Reaching new audiences through micro-volunteering

Wiltshire Museum’s ‘Letters Home’ project used micro-volunteering* to engage a wide range of new audiences. Twenty-nine volunteers wrote fictional letters home from local men who died in action in WW1. The letters generated overwhelmingly positive feedback from the community.

* Micro-volunteering is when volunteers complete small tasks that make up a larger project. They are ideal for people who don’t have much time, and can’t make long-term commitments.

Windowbox display with red poppies and a memorial cross.

The project was part of the museum’s exhibition ‘Wiltshire Remembers: Aftermath of the First World War’, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, and a larger commemoration within Devizes for the 100th anniversary of the end of WW1.

Rachael Holtom, Development Officer at Wiltshire Museum, explains how the project was run and the benefits for the museum and community.

“Words are cheap but they can create priceless museum outreach!”

Rachael Holtom

Sawfish are also called carpenter sharks...but they are rays, not sharks!

There’s also a species called a sawshark, but that’s, well, a shark!

What the heck is a lek?

Males great bustards perform spectacular courtship displays, gathering at a ‘lek’ or small display ground to try to impress the females.

Road Runner!

The great bustard has a dignified slow walk but tends to run when disturbed, rather than fly.

Belly Buster!

The hen-bird on display at The Salisbury Museum was one of the last great bustards to be eaten in the town!

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