This week we are celebrating our invaluable Volunteers during Volunteers’ Week, 1-7 June, an annual celebration of the contribution that millions of people make across the UK through volunteering. The RSN is truly blessed to have so many wonderful Volunteers; in the Marketing Team, as Exhibition Tour Guides, as Embroidery Demonstrators at events, in the Library and in the Shop. In recognition, we thought that we would share with you some Volunteer stories ,and it is clear that the main reoccurring thread is their love of embroidery.

Thank you to each and every one of you who have volunteered in several capacities both now and in the past.

Fiona Bonthrone, Volunteer Tour Guide

My name is Fiona and I’ve been a Volunteer at the RSN for about ten years. My husband’s career led to our family moving all over the world, changing locations every few years. I have always found that the easiest way to make friends is to join a group of like-minded people so, when we moved to the UK, I signed up for some RSN classes. I’ve always enjoyed stitching.

Fiona Bonthrone volunteering at a Family Stitch Workshop

I saw a call for new Volunteers in an RSN newsletter and thought it was an opportunity to support an art I’m passionate about. I love seeing the work done in the RSN Embroidery Studio and the Embroiderers are always so generous with their time. I have helped at Family Stitch Workshops and the children leave inspired with a piece of their own stitch work. We’ve had children as young as four and a few boys too. I’ve also met lots of people when the RSN opens its Studio doors during Open House London.

My favourite exhibition was For Worship and Glory, which surprised me as I’m not religious. I loved the Litany of Loretos, a series of twelve embroideries depicting the virtues of the Virgin Mary by unknown stitchers; they always make my heart skip a beat.

I love embroidery, but what makes the RSN so unique is the human story behind the art: the stitch samplers from young girls created for their education; the 17^th century Stumpwork boxes which use imagery to show allegiances to the crown or Cromwell; the Whitework underwear worked by women to keep communities afloat during famines; the pieces created by contemporary RSN students. Coming into the RSN inspires me to stitch my own creations.

Pam Farmer, Volunteer Tour Guide

My name is Pam Farmer and I have been a Volunteer Tour Guide since 2015. This is a responsible job but at heart I am just a fan-girl who can’t believe her luck: I have the privilege and fun of introducing visitors to our current exhibitions and the work of the professional commercial Embroidery Studio.

Pam Farmer (right) taking a Tour Group on a visit through the RSN Embroidery Studio

Like so many, I was taught sewing by my mother and grandmother. This started a lifelong interest, often subsumed by family and professional life. And, so it was that, one day in deep summer a note came out from the RSN urgently asking for help at a public exhibition of students’ work. I jumped at the chance and during that day I was recruited to be a RSN Tour Guide. “Would I be interested?” was the rather hesitant question….

Reading my CV I don’t immediately stand out as right for the work, but who does? Digging deeper there is a match: I had been a Human Resources Manager but had spent most of my career in externally facing roles and training and was well used to public speaking (although I still have nerves): transferable skills, if you think about it.

There have been magical times at the RSN especially those ‘behind the scene’ chats with the expert RSN Studio Embroiderers about their current commission. I recall a piece of embroidery that was being inspected for repair and which probably dated from the late Elizabethan/Stuart period: it was a moment of wonder and a connection to skilled people long gone. It is also an occasional delight to visit the teaching studios and to see ‘in person’ a just completed embroidery shared on Instagram during its journey to completion. Love it all. How lucky I am!

Sue Lown, Volunteer Tour Guide and Researcher for the RSN

When we talk about having our ‘dream job’ most people would relate this to a career aspiration, but in my case, I have it in the Volunteer role I have at the RSN. It combines everything I love – textiles, crafts, history, talking (!), teaching – with the chance to see and learn about some exquisite works of art made by talented embroiders, both historical and contemporary, and of course it does not hurt that we are situated in the gorgeous surroundings of Hampton Court Palace.

Sue Lown volunteering at a Family Stitch Workshop

My working background was in advertising, marketing and research, then for many years I studied C&G Passementerie – tassels and braids – which led to doing an MA in Textile Design at Chelsea College of Art as a mature student. I then studied and taught Cordon Bleu Cookery – culinary and creative skills seem to go hand in hand!

However, I have been an ardent sewer all my life, and relish the opportunity to learn new skills and apply them to my projects. As an example, for many years, I have created an embroidered cross for the Paschal Candle at my Church, and I try to incorporate newly learnt techniques into the design. So, several years ago, I attended a weekend ‘Introduction to Goldwork’ course at the RSN, and was blown away by the obvious talent, knowledge – and friendliness – of the Tutors and Shop staff. I enquired about Volunteer vacancies and was delighted to be asked, after an interview, if I would like to train to be a Tour Guide.

This entails taking members of the public around our two working Embroidery Studios on organised Tours, talking to them about our history, our contemporary work, and showing them examples from our twice yearly specially curated exhibitions, which showcase some of the treasures from our archives. In addition, I am sometimes asked to assist the Tutors when they are teaching Family Stitch Workshops or Schools visits – where we hope to encourage the next generation of hand embroiderers. More recently, I have been harnessing my passion for history and research by undertaking some detailed fact-finding into our past – visiting libraries and archives as well as online resources. Trying to track down ‘lost’ RSN-made textiles is proving to be addictive and I have had several Vicars and Sacristans in Parish Churches around the country kindly looking in dusty cupboards for Altar Cloths which we made 100 years ago!

Volunteering at the RSN for me is a privilege, and something I really look forward to. Every month there is something new, to see and to learn, from talented and committed people, who are passionate about what they do, and willing to share their knowledge and experience. Above all, I feel that, at the RSN we are, collectively, guardians of this unique archive and disseminators of these specialist skills and should continue to preserve and develop this legacy – and of course to educate and share with our Tour guests and students.

Sue Miller, Volunteer in the Marketing Department

My name is Sue, and I joined the RSN as a Volunteer in the Marketing department in February 2015. I was about to retire from paid work and had been keeping an eye out for a volunteering opportunity. The RSN was ideal, as it combined my wish to volunteer with my main hobby of embroidery. What could be more perfect!

I first got hooked on embroidery at school when, at the age of 8, I realised I was never going to be a knitter like my grandma. My pot holder had a great big hole in it! But my teacher produced a felt rabbit that I sewed over the top and my love affair began. In 2011, I started doing courses with the RSN and realised what a friendly, encouraging place it is to be in. As a Volunteer you feel welcomed and useful, and we’re never forgotten when it comes to tea and biscuits! Plus it’s located in Hampton Court Palace. It’s such fun to slip behind the ‘No Entry’ signs on the way in to the Marketing department.

Sue Miller (right) taking a Day Class

As an amateur embroiderer, it’s lovely to be in a place where embroidery in all its forms is celebrated. Sometimes someone comes into the office with a donated ‘find’ and we all ooh and ahh over it together. We also usually wheedle a visit to the student displays at the end of the year, and it’s so wonderful to see such technical perfection with such imaginative flair. It feels great to be helping the RSN to introduce hand embroidery to as many people as possible and to keep the art alive for my grandchildren, and their grandchildren.

It’s definitely true that Volunteers get just as much out of volunteering as the organisations they work with. We all need to be useful and productive, and to have goals to achieve, and volunteering in an area that’s your passion certainly gives you all three!

Alison Owen, Volunteer in the Marketing Department

I’m Alison and I started volunteering with the RSN Marketing team in January 2016. I’m a life-long stitcher and had taken a number of Day Classes at Hampton Court Place by the time that I decided to take early (really early!) retirement. I was looking for a new role to fit with some other voluntary work and so was really pleased to see an advert on the RSN website asking for applications for Volunteer roles.

I was formerly a professional commercial librarian and I know my way around databases, so I was very happy to join the small team which works on keeping the RSN database of Friends, supporters and subscribers up to date. It’s very much a ‘behind the scenes’ role which suits me as I’m a ‘behind the scenes’ person! One of the very fun things about being at the RSN is the amazing mix of personalities in what is quite a small team – a lot of creative, energetic, outgoing people complemented by those who are more in the background, oiling the wheels of the organisation.

Alison Owen meeting RSN Patron HRH The Duchess of Cornwall

Every week is different as, in addition to the basic database maintenance work, I might be called upon to help with statistical analysis, indexing photos, envelope-stuffing, proof-reading, website-checking or stock-taking in the RSN Shop. The thing that stays the same every week is the great pleasure of walking into Hampton Court Palace from Bushy Park, heading past the security barriers and the ‘No Entry’ signs, through labyrinthine corridors and around Fountain Court to the RSN offices in the Georgian part of the Palace. I might be working on 21^st Century office equipment and databases but I am surrounded by random steps up and down, oddly-shaped offices carved out of larger apartments, strangely-positioned fireplaces and spectacular views out of leaded windows – it really is like nowhere else.

In addition to the fabulous location, the other huge bonus of working with the RSN is that it really is a centre of excellence with an amazing pedigree. I was fortunate to be asked to represent the Volunteer team when our Patron, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, and President, HRH The Duchess of Gloucester visited, which was a great honour and pleasure. And on an ongoing basis, I have the opportunity to see the gorgeous work being produced by students on the C&D, RSN Degree and Future Tutor courses up close, and can keep my eye on what the RSN Day Class Tutors are developing to get my class bookings in – there’s always an inspiring new design or technique to catch my attention! It is very special to be able to, in a small way, contribute to the efforts the RSN makes to keeping the art of hand embroidery alive.

With the Covid 19 pandemic, I haven’t been able to head to Hampton Court for weeks now – I am missing the team, the work and the Palace but so looking forward to getting back there!

Sue Rudd, Volunteer Tour Guide and Volunteer in the Marketing Department

My name is Sue and I have been a volunteer at the RSN since January 2015. Prior to joining the school I had spent 40 years as a biomedical scientist in the NHS. I wasn’t enjoying retirement and needed something to fill my time. I had always stitched, it was in the blood – my grandfather was a master tailor. I applied to an advert in the RSN eNews, was interviewed and joined the Marketing team. My role has become more varied over time as my knowledge of the RSN has grown:  database management, statistical analysis, researching school and art based institutions for potential teaching partnerships to sorting donated goods for sale through the RSN Shop. I enjoy the variety of the work – each week is different. Working with staff from different departments has meant I have climbed a lot of stairs because the RSN has departments on opposite sides of Hampton Court Palace!

Sue Rudd in the RSN Marketing Office

In 2019, I decided to become a Volunteer Tour Guide as well as work in Marketing. I had learnt about the Exhibition Tours and decided I needed a mental challenge. Tour guiding involves taking the public around our exhibitions and talking about the various pieces on display. I had to learn about the permanent pieces and the exhibitions pieces, which change every 6 months. Back to homework and dates – but it was fun and enjoyable! Who knew there were so many different types of embroidery? The Tours include visiting the RSN Embroidery Studio and each time there are different commissions being undertaken. I enjoy sharing knowledge with our visitors and staff.

Volunteering at the RSN has reignited my enjoyment of embroidery and opened my eyes to the huge world of embroidery, art and textiles. I am in awe of the knowledge and skill of the staff. It is a very creative environment – a world away from my years as a scientist. I enjoy the variety, each week I learn something new and it has given me a sense of purpose. I have attended many Exhibitions and Day Classes as a result of working at the School. I find embroidery is a great stress reliever and it has certainly kept me occupied during lockdown!

I have met a great bunch of people and I really enjoy being valued and part of a team. Working inside Hampton Court Palace is a real privilege, however, it is the people, feeling of being useful and love of embroidery which makes me return each week. I haven’t met anyone famous yet but I plan to continue volunteering for some time to come so maybe I will be lucky!