Volunteer with BRTA

BRTA welcomes volunteers and offers of help, leadership and support. We have a variety of needs and opportunities and you do not necessarily have to be a paid-up member to help out although we very much welcome and encourage people to join.

Our roles and requirements

From background roles, remote to hands-on and lead roles, there’s plenty of scope for most skills, talents and opportunities to gain experience. Ability to work alone and/or as part of a team and the qualities of enthusiasm, reliability, honesty and ability to focus are welcome as well as any specific skills and time you may wish to offer. 

What we currently need reliable helpers with internal admin roles:

  1. Marketing
  2. Media Officer
  3. Assisting with record keeping
  4. Recruitment
  5. General assistants
  6. Fund raise
  7. Leafleting around Bedford and across the spectrum of Great Britain

The way it works

BRTA has a dual structure working. On the one hand there is the membership consulted by the executive committee and steered, then there is the membership growing and taking responsibility to inform human and other resources, to ensure teams can be informed to pursue the campaigns as successfully as possible. These two dynamics are what we need to be working effectively for ensuring that our work grows and is properly peopled and resourced. There are roles for up-front people to spearhead meetings and negotiating support and there’s a need for background people to raise resource and support the work be it manning stalls, offering transport, being reliable and researching facts which bolster the case for the projects. We need to raise funds to commission the credible professional studies which underscore support and help convince a cynical world that what we advocate can improve prospects for ordinary people’s lives, communities and well-being. Could you be a part of our jigsaw? Join today and make yourself known to us, whether skilled or not, you can gain experience here. We value reliability, flexibility and enthusiasm. Whatever your age, whether sitting down or out and about, we have lots of things which need a variety of people and abilities to consider doing for us.

Campaign Projects Manager

We have a variety of campaigns but doing more depends on reliable and willing volunteers, without guidance, to work with us to nurture the outcomes we may wish for. Examples of what we are focused on may be found in our publications on our website, our constitution and as and when and where we wish to interject views, support or campaign, subject to resources. If you wish to be part of the answer ‘will it happen?’ then join us and be willing to consider the following ideas, examples and suggestions:

  • Agree the re-openings are right and needed.
  • Prepare a power point presentation and make the case and give talks to groups, parishes and other bodies promoting support for the project.
  • You ideally will be mobile (car) and able to hold a selection of our pamphlets and sales items.
  • Seek stall opportunities and inform cover be it transport, second person on a stall at any time and making it known you are attending specific places for promotional and footfall purposes.
  • Seek to build essential relations with key stakeholders – Local authorities, media, parishes, elected representatives and lead delegated meetings with positive and tangible outcomes in mind.
  • Liaise with a local forum or the executive committee whichever you prefer.

You would join BRTA ideally and loosely share our goals and principles e.g. better, affordable and inclusive public transport and access for all. Must have a track record of reliable and honest.

Wikipedia Adoption Manager

Are you au fait with HTML? BRTA would love to have a presence on Wikipedia. If willing to assist with this, please let Richard Pill know and liaise thereafter. Our name, history, links and kudos deserve a mention!

Area Representatives

The EC shall have powers to appoint Area Reps for agreed trial or prolonged periods of time. Area Reps shall be members of BRTA and be in good standing. Their purpose is to:

  • Recruit new members to BRTA
  • Advocate the policies and perspectives of BRTA in an agreed geographical area e.g. specific or general rail line re-openings, better buses, integration, better pedestrian and cycle provision and less cars, lorries, vans and congestion.
  • May hold stock and attend sales stall opportunities in liaison with the chief officer who may send another EC or designated member to assist or conjoin in joint collaboration.
  • Seek to win over support for all existing BRTA schemes and rail re-openings in particular and generally promote the expansion and good name of BRTA.

Fundraising Managers

BRTA requires fund raisers whose duties can include the following:

  • To organise fund raising events to draw in people and support and raise funds for BRTA
  • To organise and conduct a annual or regular sponsored walk highlighting a reopening or trackbed we wish to see protected/draw attention to reopening
  • To research fund raising and creatively and lawfully raise funds for BRTA on-line and other wise.
  • You will liaise with either a designated officer or the Executive Committee (EC) on a regular basis and be accountable for actions on BRTA’s behalf and liaison for smooth operations.
  • Try and motivate the membership of BRTA more and to participate in events generally/commit to growing teams and identifying talent.

Personal Assistance Managers

BRTA requires a Personal Assistance Manager whose duties can include the following:

  • To take on case work
  • Assist on fund-raising and promotion stalls
  • Provide transport
  • Support delegated meetings
  • Undertake research (internet, library and field research)
  • Prepare and give Power Point talks to outside bodies to recruit members
  • Assist gathering stock for our stalls (e.g. second-hand railway magazines/books)
  • Media coverage
  • General on-call role to assist BRTA and its practical needs

Local Government Stakeholder Manager

BRTA requires a Local Government Liaison Officer who will who will be responsible for:
  • Building a team to cover the regions of Great Britain including London, Wales and Scotland
  • Covering the liaison role with local government
  • Canvassing councillors and MP’s in liaison with our Westminster Team
  • Getting local councils to support BRTA, its goals and schemes pro-affirmatively and court their lead on them to take on to the next stages e.g. Westminster backing and funding/study/working up and delivery.
  • Interjecting to consultations, attend meetings and exhibitions
  • Attending delegated meetings as and when with select other BRTA members
  • Feed into membership, forums and associated BRTA networks.
  • The main Local Government areas are Great Britain, aiming to provide loose cover as and when and where needed.
See our Publicity Page for a flavour of the sort of principled stances and advocacy of schemes we aspire to support and champion: https://brtarail.com/publicity

Marketing Director

BRTA requires a Marketing Director whose duties can include the following:

  • Help promote events 3 months advanced of date to date of event
  • Handle media enquiries
  • Promote BRTA creatively but also lawfully/generate a budget.
  • Be honest, reliable and consistent
  • Report to the BRTA Executive Committee and/or a designated officer/meeting.
  • Help with online stuff if so inclined
  • Generate a team of people (maybe via the area rep system) across the regions who can promote events and BRTA in their areas.
  • Help recruit new members to BRTA
  • Consider improvements to our profile, image, P.R., presentation, designs and literature which does not cost the earth

See our publicity page for more examples of the principles and schemes we advocate/are interested in. Not exhaustive and can be reviewed or changed from time-to-time: https://bki.qso.mybluehost.me/website_c17d7707/publicity

Planning and Leads Manager

BRTA requires a Public Inquiry and Similar Lead Officer whose duties can include the following:

The BRTA requires someone with professional background who gives freely of their time:

  • To monitor planning applications, consultations and schemes which may impinge or affect our interests/reopening agendas and make objections/representations
  • Lead on inquiries and grow a team of able, reliable and competent people
  • Orchestrate objections/responses and where conducive pro affirma for more rail re-openings as per our pamphlet 33 first and additions as they get delivered.

You will have email competence and liaise with the Executive Committee (EC) or relevant designated officer on a regular basis.

Sales Manager

BRTA requires a Sales Co-ordinator whose duties can include the following:

  • To hold and generate stock relevant to our aims and mission not just subject
  • To facilitate sales stalls and help man them
  • To enable others to hold limited stock for manning stalls in their area
  • To report to the Finance and General Purposes Committee
  • Must have a car and chauffer others to events sharing set up, manning and pack up duties
  • Must be based in Bedfordshire area and work with Richard Pill
  • You must be reliable and have a track record in honesty and basic record keeping for inspection by Finance Officers
  • To generate sales and income for BRTA
  • Seek to grow a team and expand our reach and range and presence across Great Britain via the Area Rep scheme as per our constitution.
  • Be conversant with email and consider how you can contribute to on-line presence, sales and enhancements.

Note: If you live outside Bedfordshire, you can still be a sales officer on exactly the same basis. You would grow your own BRTA stock and feed income and support to wider BRTA networks.

Corporate Events Manager

BRTA requires a Secretary/Minute-Taker whose duties can include the following:

  • Attend both Committee and Public meetings and take minutes, and also type up the minutes and reliably distribute them posthumously
  • Put agendas together in liaison with the Chairman/other members and distribute at least 2 weeks prior to each meeting/event
  • Write official letters as agreed by Committee to outside bodies
  • Book meeting venues
  • Skills – Good IT, Managing People, Leadership, Organisational, Interpersonal (Communication), Teamwork

Sales Assistant – Stalls

BRTA requires a Stall Assistant at our promotion and fund-raising stalls whose duties are as follows:

  • To seek stall opportunities
  • To recruit a team to cover and man stalls
  • To collect appropriate stock to sell and develop BRTA merchandise
  • To raise funds on stalls
  • To take responsibility for recuperating outlay costs (e.g. booking fees).
  • To assist fulfilling existing obligations with existing stalls
  • Never leave stalls unattended

Marketing Assistant – Leafleting

BRTA has a core team of dedicated leafleteers who spread the word in critical areas such the Great Central corridor, Guildford and in 2023 Louth, Lincolnshire. If you think you can help get in touch.

Other volunteering opportunities

  • Engagement Manager – Trackbed Watching
  • Media Manager – Photography
  • Media Manager – Newspapers, Magazines and Spokesperson
  • Head of Web Content
  • IT Support Assistant – Seeking reliable and enthusiastic volunteers.
  • Zoom hosts

Any other offers to help, lead or support welcome especially around people, financial, office space, free storage and promotion.