Two young volunteers have been spending their spare time working at Tavistock Museum during its busiest period.

Seth White has been setting up a display on the history of Tavistock’s former ironworks as part of his duties as a part-time volunteer.

Seth, 15, of Tavistock, is carrying out his weekly role as part of his Duke of Edinburgh (DoE) silver award for which he has to carry out a certain number of hours as a community volunteer.

The Tavistock College student has studied GCSE history and plans A-level history. He also carried out a week of work experience for his school curriculum. He has been donating an hour of his school holiday time each week for the DoE.

He said: “I help with several things like looking after the collections. My big job is setting up the foundries display which I’m really enjoying. I’m interested in museums and history and I choosing the artefacts to display. They are made of iron in the three ironworks for the farms and the mines. They made ploughs and tools for the farms and winding gear for the mines.

“I did some research for this, so I knew what to put on display and what writing had to be on the labels and I cleaned the exhibits. There’s a pick, shoes and a grate in the cabinet.”

Lesley Holliday, museum manager, said: “Seth has been diligently carrying out numerous tasks – taking museum environmental readings, taking part in museum closing down procedures.

“He has also been involved in collections care. For example, he painstakingly brushed off the mining trolley before we could treat the woodwork. He’s also done a little bit of research on the foundries and finished a single display panel in the library that he started on during his work experience week.”

A second work experience pupil, Lily, 15, took on the challenge of representing the museum at the Heritage Fair in the Guildhall with Gaby Jones, a museum volunteer, supporting her.

Gaby said: “Lily was an amazing volunteer on her work experience with school. She learned all about how much work goes on behind the scenes when the museum is closed during the winter – she was amazed. She then experienced all aspects of moving and changing exhibits with the planning, cleaning and paperwork needed.

“She then put it into practice for a stand in the recent heritage event in Butchers’ Hall with her focus on recruitment of volunteers and their roles, having quickly learned about the management of a museum.”

Lesley said: “For both, it was all about supporting them as they immersed themselves into museum life. This involved participating and introducing skills that will be transferable to the workplace. These skills included using initiative, decision-making, following directions, communication, taking ownership, team working, planning, record keeping, budgeting, time and resource management.

“Both pupils have their own strengths, weaknesses, ideas and ways of working, because they are individuals. But it goes without saying both youngsters have shown commitment, and I think that's absolutely worth acknowledging. As young people, they are our future tomorrows.”