Volunteer with Bawdsey Radar

We’re always on the lookout for volunteers, whether you can give a few hours a month as a guide, helping in the shop, or using a computer to update our records.

You don’t need to have any particular expertise or knowledge of Bawdsey Radar in order to volunteer. We’ll provide full training and it can be a great way to make new friends. If you do know about the site, so much the better, we’d love to hear about your experiences too.

How much time can you give?

A few hours

A few hours

Perhaps you’ve got a morning a month? We don’t need a big commitment, just enthusiastic people willing to lend a hand.

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One or two days

One or two days

One day a week helping visitors find their way around or keeping an eye on the picnic area to make sure it’s tidy. You don’t need specific skills, just a friendly smile.

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A few weeks

A few weeks

Some of our volunteers are with us full time during the open season from April to October, others take on a specific research project around a topic which interests them.

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6 months or more

6 months or more

Being part of Bawdsey Radar long-term can be life changing. There’s a great camaraderie amongst our volunteers and it’s a superb way to deepen your understanding of the site.

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    Friends of Bawdsey Radar

    As a charity, Bawdsey Radar Trust is dependent on entrance fees and donations to be able to share the continuing story of radar.  A key aim of the Trust is to preserve the stories of those who lived and worked at RAF Bawdsey throughout its 55-year history.  Becoming a Friend of Bawdsey Radar directly helps to continue this work, as well as maintaining the historic Transmitter Block for future generations.

    Friends of Bawdsey Radar Trust can enjoy

    • Knowledge that you are supporting our nation’s heritage
    • Free unlimited entry to the museum
    • Free entry for an accompanying guest
    • Receiving regular newsletters including special offers
    • 10% discount in our gift shop

     

    For a donation of  £20 a year you can become a Friend of Bawdsey Radar or £30 for a family (up to 2 adults and four children)

    To become a friend or renew your subscription - please use the form below:

    BECOME
    A FRIEND OF BAWSDEY RADAR
    ONLY £20

      Data Protection Act: We will not pass your details onto any third parties. Bawdsey Radar Trust Ltd. Registered in England and Wales No. 06474550 Reg. Office: The Transmitter Block, Bawdsey, Suffolk IP12 3BA. Registered Charity No: 1125600

      Pride in our past. Protecting our future.

      Today, radar is taken for granted, but in the build-up to WWII tracking fast moving aircraft was problematic, exposing Britain to the potential threat of aerial invasion. With Government sponsorship, a programme to develop a means of detecting enemy aircraft was established in 1936 at Bawdsey Manor. Subsequently, the world’s first fully operational radar station was established at RAF Bawdsey, the first in a chain around Britain’s coast known as Chain Home.

      Radar was instrumental in protecting the UK during the Battle of Britain and assisted the Allies in their eventual success during WWII. It has played an ongoing role in defence ever since, whilst also enabling safe commercial air travel, weather tracking applications, space research and even the microwave oven.

      The Bawdsey Radar Trust is a charitable, volunteer-led organisation set up to tell the story of radar and the people involved, from the pioneering period through to its modern day applications, via a museum in the original RAF Bawdsey transmitter building and supplementary talks and outreach programmes.

      A gift in your will to the Bawdsey Radar Trust will help us to continue as a custodian of that history.

      Making a legacy donation

      A legacy donation, either for general support or directed toward a specific initiative, is a powerful way to make a lasting contribution while also providing you with certain tax benefits (visit www.gov.uk for more information).

      It is not enough to just inform family or friends that you would like to leave a gift to a charity after your death. You will need to make a will if you do not have one, or add a codicil (a short amendment) to your existing will that mentions the charities’ names and type of gift.

      It is sensible to seek independent legal advice when leaving a charitable gift in your will to ensure you have fulfilled the necessary legal requirements. Visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk for more information on accessing legal advice.

      We will never make you feel under pressure into making a donation immediately, we understand it can be a big decision and will give you time and space to consider our request if you ask for it.

      If you have any questions or for further information, please contact us at [email protected]