WSRHT News Release July 2024

News Release-Changes to The Board of Trustees

Message from WSRHT Chairman, Mike Thompson July 2024

The Heritage Trust wishes to announce changes to the Board of Trustees that we want to share with our members, colleagues on the WSR and external bodies interested in the charity’s work.

Firstly, we wish to announce the retirement of Geoff Evens who has been one of our longest serving Trustees. Geoff has been involved with the WSR for over 30 years in a variety of roles across the West Somerset Railway PLC, West Somerset Railway Association and the Heritage Trust. Geoff has been a stalwart of our board for several years and I have personally learnt a lot from him since taking up the role of Chairman.

Geoff’s enthusiasm, commitment and attention to detail together with his wider knowledge of the railway will be sorely missed and I want to pay tribute for everything he has done for the WSR and for the Trust. He now wishes to have more family time and pursue other activities, but will continue as an occasional volunteer for the museum.

As a consequence of this, the board has decided to take this opportunity to re-align some of the portfolio responsibilities within existing Trustees, along with the co-option of a new Trustee to take on a newly defined role.

First, Steve Williams, our Vice Chairman and Company Secretary will take over from Geoff on the leadership of the Museum Accreditation work stream with the aim of submitting an application to the Arts Council by early 2025. Steve will also relinquish responsibility for PR and Communications and this will go to a newly created portfolio of Membership and Communications.

We are delighted to announce that Chris Bolt, formerly Trust Treasurer until 2018, has agreed to return to the board as a Trustee and will assume this new role. Chris was formally co-opted to the board at our July 2024 meeting. He has a formidable CV across many industries and will be a welcome addition to strengthen the skill-set of the board.

Finally, following work by the Accreditation Working Group, the Trust has developed new thinking on our approach to acquisition, management and development of volunteers as part of implementing a People Plan for the charity. John Robinson, our Safeguarding Trustee has been leading this work and the board has agreed that John’s portfolio should be amended to reflect these additional responsibilities. It will now be known as Safeguarding and People.

These are important steps forward for the Trust as the board seeks to continuously improve and strengthen the management of the charity.

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Recent News Posts

Learning and Education Officer

July 29, 2026

WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY HERITAGE TRUST

LEARNING AND EDUCATION OFFICER

We are seeking a professional and experienced person to fill this key role within the WSR Heritage Trust. This is a flexible [12 hours per week] paid role, based at WSR Bishops Lydeard Station.

This exciting role embraces developing and administering: the Schools Programme engaging with younger learners; the Families Offer of family focussed activities and events related to our museums; and developing the Outdoor Offer for community learning at our locations.

You will lead, develop and manage a small volunteer learning team, to optimise our programme and activity delivery.

Reporting to the Vice Chairman/Company Secretary, you will have a professional and policy link to the Trustee – Museum Collections and Learning and close working with the Museum Curator. You will provide regular reports to the Trust Board and contribute to the Trust Newsletter and the Learning and Education Programme.

Applicants should be suitably qualified with a degree or equivalent, or work experience in Teaching and Learning; knowledge of KS1/2 History and Science, together with experience of delivering learning programmes, and extensive IT skills.

The postholder should have strong leadership and organisational skills and communicate effectively at all levels.

Please contact john.robinson@wsrht.co.uk for further details and an information pack. Completed application forms together with a CV should be forwarded to him by not later than 17 August 2026. For an informal discussion about the role then please contact Steve Williams Vice Chairman and Company Secretary either on 07748-637209 or email steve@williamsemail.uk.

West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust Registered Charity No. 265564 Registered Office: The Railway Station, Bishops Lydeard Taunton, Somerset. TA4 3BX

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Join us as a Museum Volunteer.

May 6, 2026

WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY HERITAGE TRUST

DO YOU:

Love a bit of history?

Enjoy chatting to people?

Happy to work with children and families?

Keen on the WSR and its heritage?

If you’ve nodded “yes” to any of the above, we’d love you to join us as a museum volunteer.

Gauge Museum at Blue Anchor

We’re looking for volunteer stewards for the Gauge Museum at Blue Anchor Station on running days during the school holidays and for special events.

You’ll have an induction period alongside a mentor, and we’re very happy to arrange part-day shifts.

The role is simple: welcome visitors, share a little about the museum, and work alongside the station staff.

Interested (or just curious)? Please email Ian Camp (Curator) via info@wsrht.co.uk and put “Blue Anchor stewarding” in the subject line.

Fancy getting involved over at Bishops Lydeard?

We’re on the lookout for more friendly faces to join our team, especially as the museum is getting bigger and busier these days!

If Bishops Lydeard sounds like your kind of place, just drop us a line using the same email, but pop “Bishops Lydeard stewarding” in the subject so we know what you’re after!

And don’t forget – you can always support the WSRHT by becoming a member. Just ping us at info@wsrht.co.uk and pop “membership” in the subject line.

Keep up with what we’re doing, follow the Trust on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/TheHeritageTrust

WSR Heritage Trust Appointment of Trust Fundraiser

May 6, 2026

The Trust has appointed Jessica Rundle as its new volunteer Fundraiser. Jess is an existing Trust volunteer working in both the Gauge Museum and within the Education and Learning team. She is an Occupational Therapist by profession and is currently a Service Manager with Somerset Council. Her experience in report writing and business case development together with the networking and engagement required provides the right skill set for this role. The Trust has an ambitious capital programme within its recently updated Business Plan and raising external funds will be crucial to enabling the charity to achieve its medium-term business objectives.

Steve Williams Trust Vice Chairman and Company Secretary said “I’m delighted that Jess has agreed to take up this role. She has an impressive CV and is already familiar with the Trust and its work. I have no doubt that she will be a valuable asset in enabling us to source a wide range of external funding to complement the investment that the Trust intends to make in future projects”.

Jess Rundle said “ Bishops Lydeard station was one of the first places I stumbled across after moving to Somerset a couple years ago and I was quickly welcomed into the committed team of volunteers in to the Gauge museum. For me there is nothing better than watching a steam train in action – it brings relaxation and stimulation in equal measure! I know so many aspects of West Somerset heritage railway brings equal joy to so many others and so I’m delighted to be supporting with the fundraising programme.”

The appointment commences from 1st May. This is a part-time role reporting to the Vice Chairman.

For further details please contact Steve Williams at steve@williamsemail.uk or on 07748-637209

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