‘Inspired in Bath’, an exhibition celebrating the enthusiasm and dedication of volunteers in B&NES, will be held in Bath Abbey from Monday 23 to Monday 30 April.
The work on display is the result of an exciting partnership between two Bath Spa University students, Lucy Francis and Emma Weskin who first worked together last year on an exhibition at Walcot Chapel.
The pair’s current exhibition at Bath Abbey aims to capture the ‘true spirit’ of volunteering through photography and printmaking, and demonstrates the diverse range of volunteering activities that take place across B&NES every day. Volunteers from Bath Abbey, as well as many other places in Bath, from Julian House to Contact the Elderly, will be featured in the works.
Volunteering has hugely enriched both students’ lives; Lucy runs a Brownie unit and works for the British Red Cross as a photographer, while Emma has been heavily involved with Girlguiding in numerous roles and also teaches drama to young people voluntarily.
Lucy Francis, a photographer, and Emma Weskin, a printmaker, said: “We wanted to show others how volunteering makes a positive difference within the community, but also, how brilliant it can be for the volunteers themselves. Our hope is to put together a celebration of the wonderful voluntary work in B&NES whilst tempting new people to sign up!
“We’re so grateful to the Abbey, not just for giving us the opportunity to work with their volunteers, but even more significantly, offering us a space to show our work. As you can imagine, we’re very excited about exhibiting our work in the Abbey and simply couldn’t imagine a better place to be inspired in Bath!”
Dawn Farmer, Visitors’ Officer for Bath Abbey, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Lucy and Emma. Their passion for championing the volunteering sector in B&NES is clear for all to see, and is one we’re in wholehearted agreement with. The Abbey is very much reliant on our many volunteers who ensure various activities take place and roles fulfilled for which we are very grateful. With the exhibition in place, it provides us with an opportunity to offer our heartfelt thanks to our existing volunteers and also to encourage others to get involved.“
