Abbie Thorne Email & Phone Number

Somerset

Job Purpose: To lead the development, integration and delivery of visitor experience on the RSPB Somerset Reserves with the aim of creating a high quality visitor offer that maximises support for nature and connects people with wildlife. Key Results Areas: - Ensure that the reserves are delivering the highest standards resulting in a high quality visitor experience. - Leading and managing the visitor experience and learning teams to deliver against reserve KPI's and quality… Show more Job Purpose: To lead the development, integration and delivery of visitor experience on the RSPB Somerset Reserves with the aim of creating a high quality visitor offer that maximises support for nature and connects people with wildlife. Key Results Areas: - Ensure that the reserves are delivering the highest standards resulting in a high quality visitor experience. - Leading and managing the visitor experience and learning teams to deliver against reserve KPI's and quality standards. - Monitor and achieve against agreed targets and KPI's for income generation, quality of visit and footfall targets for the reserve. - Ensure the reserve delivers a high quality, on brand experience that converts visits into active support and contributes to the RSPB's Saving Nature Strategy. - To proactively promote and enhance the offer to visitors to increase footfall and repeat visits. - To recruit and lead a team of staff and volunteers to deliver a joined up, coherent and high quality visitor experience for all visitors to the reserve. - To contribute to the leadership, planning and efficient day to day running of the visitor operation that contributes to the overall success of the reserve. Show less

Lynmouth

Working with the Heritage Project Officer, local community, project management team, Project Advisory Group, project partners and the National Park Centre staff to define and develop the scope for volunteer and new audience involvement with the National Park and the heritage project at the Pavilion.Initiate regular contact with volunteers regarding work programmes and tasks. Produce volunteer membership forms, codes of conduct, newsletters and routine correspondence and keep the… Show more Working with the Heritage Project Officer, local community, project management team, Project Advisory Group, project partners and the National Park Centre staff to define and develop the scope for volunteer and new audience involvement with the National Park and the heritage project at the Pavilion.Initiate regular contact with volunteers regarding work programmes and tasks. Produce volunteer membership forms, codes of conduct, newsletters and routine correspondence and keep the volunteers section of the website up to date. Oversee the development and updates of the volunteer database and ensure that new members are properly registered and receive a quality induction.Provide suitable training and development opportunities for volunteers that ensure volunteer enjoyment and accomplishment and optimum support for the work of partner organisations and other services within the National Park Authority. Show less

Lynmouth Pavilion

To work with the Project Officer, local community, project management team, project partners and the National Park Centre staff to run events, develop programmes and produces resources that engage, inspire and excite people of all ages and backgrounds about Lynmouth and the National Park. To develop innovative ways of storing, interpreting and disseminating the many photographs, memories, films and other heritage assets uncovered and created by the project. To develop engaging… Show more To work with the Project Officer, local community, project management team, project partners and the National Park Centre staff to run events, develop programmes and produces resources that engage, inspire and excite people of all ages and backgrounds about Lynmouth and the National Park. To develop innovative ways of storing, interpreting and disseminating the many photographs, memories, films and other heritage assets uncovered and created by the project. To develop engaging educational resources and visits that support Project aims, including the delivery of events and talks for visiting groups. Show less

Please see attached project to see the work I have undertaken as a freelancer.

Mclean Museum And Art Gallery

Employed as part of a Museums Galleries Scotland program as a Learning and Outreach Intern placed at the McLean Museum and Art Gallery; over 1800 people applied for 20 positions. This internship enabled me to gain a variety of museum skills that are transferable across the sector and beyond. I further developed my skills in providing educational services and and have developed skills in working with the Collections Management System Past Perfect, object handling, interpretation and… Show more Employed as part of a Museums Galleries Scotland program as a Learning and Outreach Intern placed at the McLean Museum and Art Gallery; over 1800 people applied for 20 positions. This internship enabled me to gain a variety of museum skills that are transferable across the sector and beyond. I further developed my skills in providing educational services and and have developed skills in working with the Collections Management System Past Perfect, object handling, interpretation and display, managing projects, developing educational resources and putting on events at the museum and liaising with external providers. Along side the training and experience I gained at the the McLean Museum I attended regular training courses run by MGS. These covered skills such as object handling and pest control, the effective use of social media and marketing in in museums and effective leadership.My final project for the internship was an exhibition managed by myself from start to finish. This allowed me to gain an understanding of the processes involved in creating an exhibition at every step of the way, to develop my project management skills and required me to work within a budget. This exhibition was entitled Dress Codes: Messages of Power, Wealth and Beauty and ran from April 15th 2014 until May 31st 2014. This exhibition explored how people have used their clothing and accessories to display their social status to others. Along side this I applied for and was successful in receiving funding from Festival of Museums to run an event as part of the wider Festival program. The MGS Interns Program is a sector partnership between MGS and participating host museums and heritage organisations across Scotland. It is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund under its Skills for the Future program. - See more at: http://www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/about-us/news/news-article/548/mgs-interns-gather-for-programme-opening-event#sthash.XbcmgsmR.dpuf Show less

Dunster Castle

As a front line member of staff in a busy ticket office, I provided visitors with a warm and friendly welcome to the property to create an engaging and enjoyable experience from the start. Sold tickets to visitors while actively promoting membership, and dealt with any questions, queries or complaints that the visitors might have had. Ensured the till balanced on cashing up at the end of the day and that all necessary paperwork and health and safety checks were completed.I also took the… Show more As a front line member of staff in a busy ticket office, I provided visitors with a warm and friendly welcome to the property to create an engaging and enjoyable experience from the start. Sold tickets to visitors while actively promoting membership, and dealt with any questions, queries or complaints that the visitors might have had. Ensured the till balanced on cashing up at the end of the day and that all necessary paperwork and health and safety checks were completed.I also took the initiative to be trained in completing the weekly financial returns and became experienced in completing them. Show less

Dunster Castle

• Supported the Learning Officer with the running and development of tours for schools and the Visitor Services team with the development and running of events at the property including Halloween events, such as Ghost Tours, and at Dunster by Candlelight. • Held key positions on project teams such as the Crypt project where I researched historic photos and interpreted this information for presentation to the public. • Created and maintained content for the Dunster Castle website, this… Show more • Supported the Learning Officer with the running and development of tours for schools and the Visitor Services team with the development and running of events at the property including Halloween events, such as Ghost Tours, and at Dunster by Candlelight. • Held key positions on project teams such as the Crypt project where I researched historic photos and interpreted this information for presentation to the public. • Created and maintained content for the Dunster Castle website, this website content gained Dunster Castle the runners up award in the National Trust South West web site awards, narrowly missing first place in the region. • Liaising with the Garden department, I edited and designed the ‘Plant of the Month’ leaflet monthly, using Photoshop and Publisher to achieve the finished project. • Performed administrative tasks such as answering the main phone and taking event bookings and payments. Maintaining the comment card database and evaluating the data from it.• Communicated with external companies such as ‘Great British Train Journeys’ and gave presentations to National Trust Associations and tourism conferences.• Creator of “Dunster Castle’s Lesser Horseshoe Bats doing ‘The Twist’” video, which has had over 400 views on YouTube. This includes views in Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia and North and South America. Show less

Bachelor Of Arts (Ba), History (Major) And Psychology (Minor), 2:1

A Levels, Psychology, History, English Literature And General Studies

Activities and Societies: Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze, Amnesty International

Gcse'S, 11 Gcse Passes, Including A B Grade In English And Mathematics.

Education record