Our vision is to honour the memories of those buried or memorialised at BHBG and to deepen understanding of their lives and the site itself. Volunteers make this possible. Since November 2024, more than 115 people have contributed close to 980 hours, from gravestone recording to researching biographies to sharing personal memories.
Why Volunteer?
By volunteering, you’ll help safeguard this sites heritage, learn new skills, and join a welcoming community.
Current opportunities include:
Transcribe Gravestone Records – Help enter nearly 300 handwritten recording forms into a searchable digital database.
Transcribe the 1929 Gravestone List – Support the digitisation of this valuable historical document, which will be made publicly available and used to compare against surviving inscriptions.
Individual and Family Biographies – Choose a name and uncover their story using census data, newspapers, and burial records. This type of work already has already brought new insights to light and identified descendants. See Barbara Kerr’s recent research, featured in the 2025 August Newsletter, is a great example of how one biography can enrich our understanding of BHBG’s history.
Thematic Research – Investigate broader topics such as child mortality, religious dissent, working-class trades, or the evolution of gravestone styles.
Heritage Open Days – Event Support – Help facilitate public engagement by supporting activities on 13 September during this national celebration of local heritage.
Administrative Assistance – Support the smooth running of the project through organisational, scheduling, and record-keeping tasks.
Newsletter Editor – Help draft, proofread, and coordinate content for our project newsletter.
Volunteer Support – Assist with volunteer coordination, communications, and follow-up to keep our community engaged and connected.
Social Media and Blog Support – Help coordinate our Facebook, Instagram, and blog content, and contribute stories, research updates, or creative pieces for publication. We are looking both for coordinators to manage content flow and contributors to share material.
How to Volunteer
To get started, please complete our Expression of Interest Form or contact us at ballast.hills@newcastle.ac.uk. The form helps us understand your skills and interests so we can connect you with the most suitable opportunities. All volunteers are asked to read our Volunteer Policy and sign our Volunteer Agreement, which can be returned by email or brought along to a volunteer event. Once registered, we’ll match your interests with current opportunities.
Together, we can uncover, preserve, and share the stories of Ballast Hills. Your contribution will make a lasting difference.