Volunteers Week 2022: Meet Murray, a volunteer at the Essex Fire Museum

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service has 10 dedicated volunteers that give their time to help preserve the history of our fire service at the Essex Fire Museum in Grays.

The Museum is one of the most popular fire museums in the country – thanks to the small team of volunteers who run it.

Essex Fire Museum will celebrate its 15th anniversary this month. It is one of a small number of fire museums in the country and is accredited by the Arts Council.

The museum is supported by a team of volunteers who give tours, carry out research, write articles and maintain more than 6,000 exhibits.

Murray (pictured left), a retired firefighter who served in Essex and London has volunteered with our museum for more than 15 years.

He said: “My main job is to help manage the museum's collection and, with my colleagues, ensure that it is catalogued correctly and that it is maintained in a good order.

“I give guided tours when required, as well as carrying out research on the numerous enquiries we receive from members of the public. I write articles for the Museum's web page, where my previous firefighting career comes in very useful.”

“I enjoy being part of the museum's team, in a fire service atmosphere and meeting my colleagues regularly.

“Secondly, I enjoy meeting with the visitors that come to the museum and broadening their knowledge about the Essex County Fire and Rescue Service and its forebears.”

“If I had to advise somebody about becoming a volunteer, it would have to be that they should be prepared to give up their time to become a member of the ECFRS Volunteer Team, to be prepared to meet the public regularly, but also to be prepared to enjoy the comradeship that they will find with their fellow volunteers.”

If you want to volunteer with Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, we have a number of different roles available.

Find out more at join.essex-fire.gov.uk/jobs/volunteering/

The next open days at the museum are on Tuesday 7 June and Sunday 12 June (15-year anniversary).

Please email museum@essex-fire.gov.uk to book a visit.

You can find out more about Essex Fire Museum at: www.facebook.com/EssexFireMuseum