Poppies: Wave volunteers needed

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is calling on local people to become volunteers at Poppies: Wave, which will open at the CWGC Plymouth Naval Memorial this month.

The sculpture by artist Paul Cummins and designer Tom Piper is specially presented by 14-18 NOW, the UK’s arts organisation for the First World War centenary,  and volunteers are needed to help visitors make the most of their experience.

The CWGC is looking for people aged 18-plus to help out from 23 August to 19 November 2017. To register your interest in volunteering, please email the team: volunteers@cwgc.org

Working with a great team, in a primarily outdoor role, volunteers will welcome visitors to the CWGC site, and help to enhance the public's visitor experience.

Volunteers will be on hand to help visitors find their way around the town and direct them to the sculpture on the Hoe.

Full induction and training will be given and the skills and experience required are:

• A positive and outgoing personality, with a good sense of humour.
• Good level of written and spoken English.
• Well-presented, reliable and personable.
• Confident in customer-facing environment to ensure effective queue-management.
• Happy to work outdoors.
• Ability to work in a team and remain calm under pressure.

Plymouth is a truly unique place to volunteer, and anyone taking part will provide that all-important first impression to visitors and users. 

Above all else, you will make sure that every single person who visits the site has a memorable experience and will inspire visitors to come back and visit us time and time again.

Wave and Weeping Window are from the installation Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red – poppies and original concept by artist Paul Cummins and installation designed by Tom Piper – by Paul Cummins Ceramics Limited in conjunction with Historic Royal Palaces.

The installation was originally at HRP Tower of London from August to November 2014 where 888,246 poppies were displayed, one to honour every death in the British and Colonial forces of the First World War.

The two poppy sculptures being presented across the UK, together totaling over 10,000 poppies, have been saved for the nation by the Backstage Trust and the Clore Duffield Foundation, and gifted to 14-18 NOW and Imperial War Museums. Financial support for the presentations has been received from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Heritage Lottery Fund, and fundraising for the presentations is ongoing.

DAF Trucks are the transport sponsor for the UK presentations, and 14-18 NOW are delighted to partner with DAF on making this historic project a reality. The learning and engagement programme for the poppies tour is supported by the Foyle Foundation.