Paying for Railway Volunteers

[I like Class 153]

I think that heritage railways not paying for volunteers the expenses such as travel to get to there, meals and uniforms is really disgusting:-x,

 

[455driver]

Don't volunteer then!

 

[I like Class 153]

But they could at least pay for your travel to get there

 

[A-driver]

But they could at least pay for your travel to get there

Can they afford to? But as above, don't volunteer if you arnt happy with it. If enough people think like you then they'll be forced to hire staff or pay an allowance to volunteers.

 

[37038]

I think that heritage railways not paying for volunteers the expenses such as travel to get to there, meals and uniforms is really disgusting:-x,

Full wibble alert

 

[I like Class 153]

I still volunteer but a few friends of mine was moaning about that they not paying me to get to get there, one said that is disgusting, I did say well we will end up with no railway, isn't that right?

 

[A-driver]

I still volunteer but a few friends of mine was moaning about that they not paying me to get to get there, one said that is disgusting, I did say well we will end up with no railway, isn't that right?

Not trying to be flippant but do you know what volunteering actually is? People volunteer for all sorts of things-charity, arts/theatre/music groups, youth groups etc and don't get expenses paid, it's called volunteering rather than working.

 

[Diplodicus]

So if I live in Inverness. And want to volunteer on the Dart valley, the company should pay my expenses? Really??

 

[headshot119]

Troll alert?

Simple if you don't like it don't volunteer.

 

[scott118]

Not trying to be flippant but do you know what volunteering actually is? People volunteer for all sorts of things-charity, arts/theatre/music groups, youth groups etc and don't get expenses paid, it's called volunteering rather than working.

x2

 

[Jonfun]

It is a point worthy of discussion though, if somewhat badly articulated.

In general, heritage railways suffer a chronic lack of volunteers with some (most?) having to take on some paid staff as a result. I can only speak from experience on one railway where volunteer numbers dwindle by the month, and as a result travel expenses for certain roles are being paid. I think it will get to a stage eventually where most railways will have to up their game and do this or face not having staff to cover their operations as more and more people struggle with the expenses of volunteering.

 

[cin88]

I have complained in the past about having to pay my own expenses whilst working at the ELR, but i'm usually not bothered. The only thing that bothers me is the fact that we have to pay to park on Bolton Street station, which I personally don't think we should have to do if we're working.

 

[Top Shed]

Ahh the good olde days of the Heritage railway having an ex BR sleeper coach for volunteers have gone indeed many a volunteer would have travelled to the railway free gratis on the national network with the excuse of where they were heading and why!

Indeed the ELR and lots of others could learn a thing or two by revisiting the past and see what was accomplished by non rail enthusiatic individuals. Put a free campsite next to every historic railway and the problem of volunteering would go away.
Folk dream of staying next to a steam railway in a suitably atirered coach but the opportunity is not there.

Whish I had three sleepers next to a heritage railway because I would be quids in for a couple of feet of track and some rusty old Wolverton metal painted in maroon!

 

[E&W Lucas]

Expect to pay my own way, as I have done for the last 30 years. Never heard this moaning, until a couple of years back.
What roles are worth subsidising, and which aren't?
How far is it worth paying someone to travel?
It rapidly become cheaper to add a couple of bodies to your paid staff, who are there whenever you need them, and can who can undertake a variety of tasks.
It's not a cheap hobby - if you want the rewards, expect to pay for them.
(NB Live approx. 190 miles from the railway I volunteer for, and have one so for most of the time I've worked for them).

 

[cin88]

The ELR actually has a sleeper in use (we have members travelling from as far as London), although I have no idea where it actually is as i've never needed to find it. If any of my ELR colleagues could enlighten me as to it's location, that would be great.

 

[Bushy]

Heritage railways are much like any charity/non-profit that relies on volunteers. I was at a committee meeting of a charity I volunteer for yesterday. We discussed our secretary paying out £100's in postage each year and the implications if she stood down and was replaced by somebody who couldn't afford, or was not willing, to meet that cost. As a committee member who incurs expenses that I don't claim, I am not required to pay membership subscriptions but I do.
Interestingly, in a survey carried out for Charities Aid Foundation, people in the UK, generally, are good at giving money (ranking 4th of the 145 countries surveyed) but not so good at volunteering their time (28th) or helping a stranger (25th), https://www.cafonline.org/about-us/publications/2015-publications/world-giving-index-2015

 

[Ploughman]

As previously stated if you volunteer then you expect to pay your own way.

Think of it in another context, Would you expect Man Utd to pay its fans to attend their games?
If they did then I might even consider breaking the habit of a lifetime and go to a match.

 

[Jonfun]

The ELR actually has a sleeper in use (we have members travelling from as far as London), although I have no idea where it actually is as i've never needed to find it. If any of my ELR colleagues could enlighten me as to it's location, that would be great.

It's between the shed and car park in Baron Street yard.

If you don't want to pay for parking in Bolton Street car park then you could park in the staff parking across the road in the transport museum?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

As previously stated if you volunteer then you expect to pay your own way.

Think of it in another context, Would you expect Man Utd to pay its fans to attend their games?
If they did then I might even consider breaking the habit of a lifetime and go to a match.

Eh?

Paying it's fans to attend games? Do heritage railways pay passengers to travel on their trains?

I think a better analogy would be would you expect Manchester United to pay their match stewards to staff their games.

 

[DaleCooper]

Perhaps RailUKforums could pay members for posting on the forum. I bet Paul Sidorczuk would appreciate that.

 

[plarailfan]

Many, but by no means all of the staff who work in charity shops, happily and willingly give up some of their free time to help what they consider to be a worthy cause.
A cancer charity shop, for example, would have less money available for research, etc, if they routinely paid for travelling expenses and uniforms.
Likewise, a heritage railway might not be able to buy track and other essential consumables, quite as often as they would like, if they were paying expenses to volunteers.
It's all part of the joy of giving and even better still, if you can afford to donate money or stock for their shop, as well as your free time.
Heritage railways don't come cheap - around a £1 million quid was being talked about recently, just for the Great Central Rail bridge project, over the Midland Main Line !

 

[Bletchleyite]

I volunteer in Scouting, and while it is to some extent down to local discretion, adult uniforms are generally paid for, while on camps/trips all adult costs (travel, camp fees and meals) are usually covered, though it is fairly usual that if adults want to take part in actual activities that have a direct cost that they contribute. Normally people volunteer locally, so regular travel expenses are not necessary, but for the smaller number of national volunteers who regularly travel to meetings at national campsites (e.g. Gilwell Park near London) standard class expenses are normally paid.

 

[Darandio]

Perhaps RailUKforums could pay members for posting on the forum. I bet Paul Sidorczuk would appreciate that.

I'm sure he doesn't need it!

 

[theblackwatch]

This seems a pretty ridiculous suggestion to me. The alternative at the other end of the spectrum (which is equally ridiculous - I'm not suggesting it!) is that the volunteer should pay to help out at the preserved railway. After all, visitors are attending the place and they are paying for something which enables you to carry out your hobby - so they are effectively funding your hobby. :P (Note this is a tongue in cheek comment!)

 

[The Decapod]

This seems a pretty ridiculous suggestion to me. The alternative at the other end of the spectrum (which is equally ridiculous - I'm not suggesting it!) is that the volunteer should pay to help out at the preserved railway. After all, visitors are attending the place and they are paying for something which enables you to carry out your hobby - so they are effectively funding your hobby. :P (Note this is a tongue in cheek comment!)

Aren't there such things as working farm holidays where you effectively pay to work on the farm?

 

[Spamcan81]

I think that heritage railways not paying for volunteers the expenses such as travel to get to there, meals and uniforms is really disgusting:-x,

To paraphrase the late President JF Kennedy, "ask not what your railway can do for you but what you can do for your railway."

 

[BrunswickGreen]

I think that heritage railways not paying for volunteers the expenses such as travel to get to there, meals and uniforms is really disgusting:-x,

Try looking in a dictionary for the meaning of the word volunteer.

 

[cin88]

It's between the shed and car park in Baron Street yard.

If you don't want to pay for parking in Bolton Street car park then you could park in the staff parking across the road in the transport museum?

They tend to shut the gates there at 6 and i'm frequently in Bury until 9-10 pm. I'd use the Baron Street car park if my car was actually capable of traversing those pot holes without damage.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I think a better analogy would be would you expect Manchester United to pay their match stewards to staff their games.

I'd be surprised if they weren't paid!

Many grounds now employ security / events companies to steward their matches, so many of the stewards have no direct interest in the match.

I used to steward at Rodney Parade, Newport (Newport RFC / Newport Gwent Dragons / Newport County FC), where the stewarding is still "in house", but many of the other major rugby grounds that I go to aren't.

When I was stewarding, I was paid.

 

[Southwest]

I work for a charity and our organisation do pay travel expenses for volunteers to get from home to their place of volunteering. I always tell mine that this is available but that claiming expenses is not mandatory and it's up to them whether they claim or not. We also feed our volunteers!!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I work for a charity and our organisation do pay travel expenses for volunteers to get from home to their place of volunteering. I always tell mine that this is available but that claiming expenses is not mandatory and it's up to them whether they claim or not. We also feed our volunteers!!

If you've got the admin staff (voluntary) to handle it, having them claim and then donate back will net you Gift Aid on top...free money!

Note that for this to work the money has to change hands, it can't be a paper transaction (though it can be BACSed and immediately BACSed back).