Celebrating National Volunteers’ Week at Reimagining the Film Archives

As part of National Volunteers’ Week, we’re taking a moment to recognise and thank those who have given their time, energy, and insight to the Reimagining the Film Archive (RtFA) programme. Whether it’s preserving old footage or building new relationships, their contributions have been essential—not only to the health of the archive but to the heart of our working week. Volunteering in the archive isn’t just practical it’s profoundly meaningful. Our volunteers help us uncover hidden stories, reframe forgotten narratives, and build a living archive shaped by the people it serves.

RtFA: Reimagining the Archive Together

The RtFA programme is intended to be transformative. Rooted in The Box’s vision—to reimagine the future through the past—it supports digital commissions, participatory volunteering opportunities, workforce development, and research projects that enable a deeper exploration of our moving image collections. Volunteers are at the core of this work. Their participation helps us preserve and interpret the Television South West (TSW) collection while expanding the diversity of voices within it. RtFA also aims to strengthen the archive’s sustainability—both in terms of who it speaks to and how it’s cared for.

Each Friday morning, volunteers from a range of backgrounds gather in the cold store to digitise ageing media formats. But what begins as technical work quickly transforms into something more collaborative and connective: a space where memory, curiosity, and community converge.

Lemuel Lyes: A Story-Seeker in the Stacks

Lemuel, an experienced archive producer in the TV and film industry, has been volunteering with RtFA for five months. He’s spent that time digitising old tapes, unearthing overlooked footage, and connecting past events to present conversations.

“One of the more surprising stories I’ve come across was a Plough Sunday church service, with members of the congregation walking a ploughshare up the aisle. It felt like an unexpected cross between Christianity and folklore.”

But not every discovery is symbolic—some are just wonderfully unexpected:

“Another more amusing and unexpected find was a tape about chickens on a farm being interrupted by military jets flying overhead.”

It’s these moments—where the ordinary intersects with the extraordinary—that capture the texture of life in the South West. Lemuel explains:

“I’m most proud of preserving materials from rural villages and communities—places where television cameras were rare visitors. Some of this material might be the only audiovisual record of those places during that time.”

For Lemuel, this work is about more than archiving—it’s about creating a legacy: “I’m very aware of the limited shelf life of analogue tape formats. This work feels urgent—and meaningful. I just wish I could do more.”

Veronica: A Ray of Sunshine in the Basement

Among the first-ever RtFA volunteers was Veronica, a bright presence in the coldest, most tucked-away corner of The Box’s basement archive. She joined the first RtFA cohort and made the powerful decision to continue volunteering. Her continued presence reflects what this programme offers: not just the opportunity to preserve the past, but to create community in the present. Volunteers like Veronica helped lay the foundation of RtFA through consistency, collaboration, and care. Watch the short video below to find out more about Veronica's experience volunteering on the project.

Building Friendships Through the Archive

At the heart of the RtFA volunteer programme is a sense of mutual learning and genuine exchange. Natalie Barnes, our collections assistant who leads the volunteering workforce and supports our Friday volunteers, reflected on how much the weekly dynamic is shaped by this spirit: “I like learning from them as much as they’re learning from me. I find it fascinating talking to them about their lives, backstories, and interests just as much as the other way around.”

Volunteers such as Lemuel, Preet, and Amber bring fresh eyes and lived experience into the space, which shifts how we relate to the material. Their presence sparks unexpected conversations and new perspectives. As Natalie shared “It’s fascinating to be part of these random conversations. I love being part of it.” These friendships, built through shared effort and curiosity, transform the archive into something more than a repository they turn it into a place of warmth, dialogue, and discovery.

Thank You

To all our RtFA volunteers—Lemuel, Veronica, Amber, Preet, and everyone who has contributed—thank you. Your time, energy, and passion have made a real difference. Every tape digitised and every story preserved helps keep this archive alive and meaningful.

We're ending National Volunteers' Week 2025 with a special event on Saturday 7 June celebrating the work our volunteers do across The Box. Join us for our Super Saturday: Volunteering in Action, which is free to attend.