Family History Centre
More help is needed in the Society’s Family History Centre in Birmingham to help visitors/enquirers to research their family’s heritage using all the resources on the shelves, plus the internet, including FamilySearch and the Library Edition of FindMyPast. You will engage with visitors and respond to email and telephone enquiries. Other duties include providing occasional assistance with cataloguing of new material for both the facility and the on-line shop. Whilst helping other people, you could even carry out your own research.
Other opportunities relate to scanning of various files and documents, some of which can be done from the comfort of your own home.
You will need to be comfortable using a computer & key board and have interest in family history, social history, local history. Any & all training/coaching and familiarisation will be provided.
See more about the facility itself click this link – Family History Centre
For more information, drop in to the centre any day Mon to Fri or contact Kim the General Secretary – gensec@mid-anc.uk
Help Desk at Warwickshire CRO
People are needed to assist in the running of a help desk at Warwickshire record Office on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Hours 11:00 am – 2:30 pm, once or twice a month. The Help Desk assists the Record Office advising on how to start family history, give help with the computers and film readers, etc. Any training/coaching will be provided. If you can spare some time, please get in touch. We are totally flexible.
For more information contact Steve –
email s.freeman@mid-anc.uk or ring him 0121 745 5403
Warwickshire Parish Registers Transcriptions
Midland Ancestors are nearing the end of a project of transcription work of the Warwickshire Parish Registers for Warwickshire Record Office, but we still need more help.
The work entails taking receipt of scanned copies of the documents by email, Dropbox or similar and using your own computer entering the individual line items into a database. When completed, then returning the work to the Project Organiser. Any & all training/coaching will be provided.
All done from the comfort of your own home, whatever hours you can manage.
Totally flexible and get a discount on shop orders into the bargain (not membership subs).
For more information contact Kim the Project Leader by email – k.walker@midanc.uk
Projects Work
Opportunities are available for helping with the various projects the society has in hand but either have or are in danger of stalling through shortage of volunteers. We rely on those volunteers to help preserve records & get involved with projects, transcription of Registers, scanning, creation of indexes etc. No special skills required, tuition and guidance given.
We are particularly in need of a Projects Officer to oversee and and co-ordinate. The Projects Officer has contact with those who are already engaged in any project work, monitoring progress and ensuring wherever possible that there is no duplication of effort.
Hours totally flexible
For more information, contact Kim the General Secretary – gensec@mid-anc.uk
Staffordshire Lost Memorials
More and more churches and chapels are being lost or turned into restaurants or residential properties, so this begs the question – Where do the memorials go ? Are they taken to the mother church ? Are they left with the property ? Are they dumped into a skip ? Can you spare a little time to photograph:
- Memorials located inside churches, chapels etc.
- Photograph any war memorials
- Headstones within churches or chapels
If you feel you can help please email robecarter@hotmail.com who can let you know which churches/chapels near you need to have their memorials photographed.
PAT Tester
The Society is in need of someone to take on PAT testing. We are required and it is our wish to keep up to date with current Health & Safety legislation. We are in a position to be able to offer electrical safety testing of portable appliances (commonly known as “PAT testing”) to our satellite groups and volunteer workers.
Duties – To test and evaluate all electrical equipment and associated cabling owned by the society. Including other electrical kit owned and used by other volunteers that they may wish to have tested. Applying Pass Certificates to the equipment when appropriate. Updating of a centrally held computerised log, (can be done from home). Notifying keepers of equipment when Certificates have time expired.
Hours – Flexible to suit the individual. A backlog would mean about 1/2 day per week initially, then probably 1/2 day per month.
Place – Mainly in the BMI, Birmingham. Visits from time to time to a volunteers home or to satellite groups meeting rooms. Travel costs re-imbursed.
Full training/coaching provided. It is not neccesary to be a qualified electrician to carry out this role. All that is required is to work within set guidelines and have a common sense approach.
For more information, contact Kim the General Secretary – gensec@mid-anc.uk
