01/07/2011

Photocall: 11am - Tuesday 5th July at 1 Museum Street, York. Tourism Ambassador Ivan Martin (aged 68) shows tourism Volunteer Louise Swann (aged 20) around the city. Meet at 1 Museum Street - photo in the city centre.

A new recruitment campaign for volunteers will be launched by Tourism Ambassador Ivan Martin on behalf of Visit York next week. The campaign titled ‘Passion Into Action', seeks to recruit people from across York who are passionate about their city and want to help welcome York's seven million visitors. To find out more about the project an open day for anyone who is interested is planned for Tuesday 5th July at the Visit York Information Centre, 1 Museum Street from 11am to 4pm.

The new scheme will see volunteers ‘buddy up' with Visitor Centre staff, helping to manage the surge in visits to York's new Visitor Centre at 1 Museum Street. Currently the centre employs fourteen staff and already has four volunteers. Since opening in May 2010 visits to the new centre have increased by 80% with almost half a million people using the service in its first year of operation, leaving the team at Visit York in need of some extra assistance.

Rebecca Francis, the newly appointed Visitor Centre Manager said, ‘We know that so many of York's residents are passionate about their home city. We are seeking their help in welcoming York's visitors and hope to recruit volunteers of all ages, from all walks of life and backgrounds. The most important thing is that our volunteers have a real a passion for York.'

In return for committing to a minimum of one full day per week for a minimum three month period volunteers will receive a range of benefits including a VIP Pass to visit York's attractions, the opportunity to attend Visit York events and full training and development.

Twenty year old Louise Swann, a second year tourism student at the University of York St John has just started as a Visit York volunteer. Louise said, ‘Already my experience in the Visit York Information Centre has helped me work out what I want to do when I leave University. I love working front of house and helping customers and I now know that I don't want to work behind the scenes. By volunteering I will increase my job prospects and gain great insight into how tourism works which will also help me with my career.'

Ivan Martin, Tourism Ambassador for York and Chairman of the Association of Voluntary Guides said, ‘I took up volunteering when I retired and I would highly recommend it to anyone. It has given me great satisfaction over the years and a feeling of contributing something to the city. The great thing for me about working with visitors is that you meet so many wonderful people from all over the world.' Anyone from the age of sixteen can apply to become a Visit York volunteer by getting in touch with Julie Kelly at Visit York Tel 01904 554457 email jk@visityork.org.  ENDS

NOTES TO EDITOR
The Visit York Information Centre opened in May 2010 offering state of the art premises at 1 Museum Street. With a strong focus on providing modern visitor information and excellent customer service, the new centre has been a resounding success.

Visitor numbers to the new visitor centre (which was formerly located at the De Grey Rooms in exhibition square) have almost doubled since opening; 454,000 visits were recorded May 2010 to May 2011 compared with 251,000 annual visits at the former location, an increase of 80%.
For further information please contact:
Kay Hyde - PR Manager - Visit York
Direct Line: 01904 554451
Mobile: 07961 828092
Email: kh@visityork.org

Katie Porter - PR Executive - Visit York
Direct Line: 01904 554436
Email: kp@visityork.org