POST Office Gallery provides a social history element to the City of Greater Bendigo’s strong cultural foundation.
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Established in 2010, Post Office Gallery is a satellite space of Bendigo Art Gallery, providing residents and visitors to the city with a vital focal point for exploring the region’s long and proud history.
Post Office Gallery has a dynamic and varied annual program of exhibitions and events for all ages. The space relies on the generosity of its volunteers to attend the space and welcome visitors into the gallery. We value our team of volunteers and appreciate their commitment and effort and know that without their assistance, visitors’ experience at the gallery would not be as interactive and interesting as they currently make it.
One such volunteer from our team is Danielle Winser. Dell (as she likes to be called) started volunteering with Post Office Gallery in November 2013. To mark National Volunteers Week, Dell recently sat down to discuss her rewarding role with me:
What initially sparked your interest in volunteering, and in particular, at Post Office Gallery?
I wasn’t necessarily looking to volunteer. I’d been visiting Post Office Gallery every once in a while and thought the exhibitions were fantastic. My youngest child had just started school and I had just started a degree in history. Volunteering in a place that covered social history was perfect - I had the time. Why not?
Why do you enjoy volunteering? Is it the cultural element that you like most, being part of a like-minded group, giving back to the community or something else?
I think it’s a combination of all those things. It’s lovely knowing that I’m helping Bendigo show itself off. I’m proud to be part of the Bendigo community (even though I’ve only been here for seven years) and I like being able to share its history with visitors.
How often to you volunteer a shift? How do you manage to fit it into your busy life – especially juggling children?
I volunteer at Post Office Gallery around once a fortnight. I mainly do the morning shifts, so my husband drops the kids at school in the morning and I do the afternoon pick-up. If I have study to do, I can always bring it with me – although that’s put aside in favour of chatting with visitors who pop through the door.
Do you also volunteer with any other organisations?
At the moment, I’m also at Bendigo Art Gallery once a fortnight, collecting tickets for the Imagining Ned exhibition.
Post Office Gallery has a myriad of changing exhibitions. What has been your favourite since being involved with the gallery team? Why?
I think Cure for all Ills has been my favourite so far (though they’re all good). Some of the exhibits that we had for that particular exhibition were slightly macabre - the pedal-powered dentist’s drill especially - and it made me really grateful for advances in medical science!
What is your advice for those people thinking about getting involved?
Just do it! You’ll gain a whole new appreciation for the city you live in!
If you love history and collections and would like to volunteer with this unique gallery space, email Bendigo Art Gallery for more details and to register interest at bendigoartgallery@bendigo.vic.gov.au