The work of an arts project that has helped hundreds of people find fulfilling volunteering roles in Cumbria is highlighted in a forthcoming podcast.

Helping Hands is a two-year initiative, funded by Arts Council England, which breaks down barriers to volunteering in the county’s cultural sector.

It has already placed 380 volunteers with more than 30 arts, heritage and culture organisations from theatres to museums and stately homes. A third of them had never volunteered before.

The next episode of the Behind the Scenery arts podcast, presented by Tom Speight, a former BBC Radio Cumbria news editor, looks in detail at the impact Helping Hands has made.

Tom went to the Armitt Museum in Ambleside to speak to volunteer Elwynn Evans and Faye Morrissey, the museum’s manager and curator.

News and Star: Elwynn volunteers at the ArmittElwynn volunteers at the Armitt (Image: Supplied)Elwynn, who retired to the area, was keen to volunteer but didn’t know where to begin. Helping Hands put him in touch with the Armitt. He said: “It’s a fantastic thing to be able to do. I’d say to anyone thinking of volunteering, just do it.”

Faye added: “As a small organisation, it’s hard to recruit volunteers. Helping Hands has helped us go out into the community to find people.”

Helping Hands can be a stepping stone for young people or the unemployed to move into work or higher education, acquire skills and build confidence.

News and Star: Faye is the manager and curator at the museumFaye is the manager and curator at the museum (Image: Supplied)

Tom said: "My podcast tries to get under the bonnet of things happening in the county, which impact and help to support the arts and culture ecology.

"Helping Hands is a good example of a joined-up project, helping all sorts of different culture and art forms to pull in people who wouldn’t necessarily be typical volunteers from either an age or background perspective.

"The young lads at Grange, Robert and James, hadn’t thought about volunteering before but, through Helping Hands, found something they loved."

Cumbria Arts and Culture Network started Behind the Scenery in 2022. It is available through all podcast providers including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. You can also listen to the podcast here.

The episode on Helping Hands is released on November 27.