I had sent out numerous press releases, not expecting there to be much, if anything, in the way of a response.
Volunteer recruitment days are never terribly newsworthy. Each year I have an open day or a coffee morning where I try to lure people in so I can persuade them to volunteer with us. Each year I sit there, surrounded by plates of biscuits and volunteering brochures and no one turns up. If I'm exceptionally lucky a rambler may stray past, and I'll drag them in and give them a leaflet, but that's about it really.
McColleague was setting up the room, putting out an optimistically large number of cups and saucers, while I finished up in the office. The phone rang. It was the local press photographer!
"Can I come out and get some shots of your volunteer coffee morning?" he asked.
"Yes. Yes!" I exclaimed. "Though, I must warn you, I may not actually have any volunteers to photograph."
He was undeterred by this. "I'll be there at 11," he said.
I hurried over to the volunteer room and McColleague. "The photographer from the local paper is coming!" I explained.
"What will he make you hold aloft this time?" she wondered.
"A volunteer?"
The coffee morning offically began at 10am. By 11 am McColleague and I were still the only people in the room. The photographer arrived.
"Hello," I smiled. "I'm afraid we're having a bit of a lull at the moment."
"No problem," he said. "Let's just have a picture of you, Doris, in front of the house."
And so another photo for my collection is taken. Me, in front of the house, holding aloft a Volunteer Welcome Pack, the sun in my eyes, my hair blowing over my face. I await the torrent of calls to flood in as people all over the county flock to volunteer for me.
I really look like I need help.
11 comments:
Perhaps you should have held aloft Lovely Warden's mallet - "Volunteer! Or I'll hit a rambler".
Zak - that is such a good idea! I am kicking myself for not thinking of it.
And I trust this all took place in the volunteers room at Lovely Warden's table, so it is now christened in earnest (ok yes - groan - poor earnest)...
...so that you could be photographed threatening volunteers with...oh no, not the comfy chair...(nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition)!
(Our three main weapons are fear, diligence, deference, fear and total blind alliegance to Doris....oh...our four main weapons are...oh shit)...
I think you should be actively seeking media limelight opportunities for Lovely Warden.
Did he ask you to "get them out!"? Press togs usually do and I think it always improves the impact of a news pic.
They could have run a headline saying "Any Volunteers?" above a photo of you with your baps on view above a story saying something like "Plucky 6ft 8ins tall heritage worker Doris Sparrow is calling on history lovers to come on down and make a Tudor tit of themselves."
I didn't get where I am today...........
Well, if I'd known there were going to be biscuits . . .
Cogidubnus - I like the total, blind allegiance to Doris bit. I must ut that in the Welcome Pack.
Boz - I do, but he is elusive.
Reg - are you sure it wasn't you who came to take that picture?
Angelfeet - there are always biscuits!
You know that's awfully sexist of you Reg...totally wrong in todays society...
Doris is Intellectually stirring, administratively formidable and a wonderfully rounded person...the fact that she's physically very attractive is nothing to do with it...
How much would you take for the negs?
I'll come and look after you - er, volunteer. As long as you don't hit me with the giant mallet.
Cogidubnus, you are incorrigible. And that's not easy to say after a glass or two of wine.
Despina - excellent! (Puts mallet away, regretfully)
"Cogidubnus, you are incorrigible"...der I thought I was in Sussex...
Post a Comment