It's no secret. We desperately need help to keep these fine engines in tip top condition to allow their continued use. Everyone who helps spreads the work a little further allowing us to do more and takes some of the burden off those who are already working.

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Every member of our two organisations is a volunteer and as a result we have many roles covering a wide range of skills. These include but are not limited to fundraising and merchandising, publishing, design, marketing and publicity to more specialist technical roles involving the locomotives themselves.

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Volunteers have a lot of fun, learn new skills and yes, they can get dirty and cold, but they do all have a huge sense of achievement and can say, " I was part of that success ", when one of the locomotives appears in a magazine or when they are at the head of a train on the mainline.

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You do not need to be technical to help out, there are plenty of jobs to be done by assisting our more experienced volunteers. It may not always be glamorous work but it will speed the job along and you will learn lots while you do it. Some of our technical experts started out doing the assistant tasks.

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The Fifty Fund has a Health and Safety Policy and operates under the safety regimes in place at the railways we visit (ask the Volunteer Coordinator or the Technical Officer for more details), no one will be asked to do anything they do not have the skills to tackle or put in positions where they are unknowingly at risk. All new volunteers will be given guidance on working in and around the locomotives and in the environment before they start work. And as a last statement; If in any doubt, don't do it and ASK!

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For insurance purposes you will need to be a Fifty Fund shareholder. You will also need to be a member of the Severn Valley Railway while working on the railways property. Other than that all you need is some clothes you don't mind getting dirty and yourself. A bucketful of mindless optimism and a sense of humour often helps, too!

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If you are interested in getting your hands dirty then please contact us below.