Battery Charge campaign: Volunteer Rebecca tells of passion for historic Heugh site

The 25-year-old began working at the battery museum on the Headland in 2017 as a summer job.

When the paid role came to an end at the end of the summer, Rebecca stayed as a volunteer, a role she continues to this day.

And she is one of a growing number of supporters for the Mail’s Battery Charge campaign.

We launched the rallying call to support the battery museum – the site of the only First World War battlefield in the UK for its role in the bombardment of Hartlepool– which needs to raise £5,000 to survive.

Rebecca, from West View, said: “It’s such a great place.

“The best thing about it is it’s living history, not like reading it from a text book.

“When you are there you are on the site of a World War One battlefield.

“You can go under the battery command post and look around where the shells actually landed.

“The volunteers are so passionate and knowledgeable and being around people like that is really infectious.”

Rebecca works on the museum’s reception front desk greeting visitors and introduces them to the history of the site.

The museum, which opened in 1999, is facing a difficult time as sources of funding are harder to find to raise the £3,500 it needs each month.

Rebecca, who works in Morrisons and is studying at the Northern School of Art, added: “The thing we need the most is more visitors.

“People will often go abroad to visit something of historical importance and interest, but we have that on our doorstep.

“It is such a great place to go.”

The Mail is asking people to dig deep and give to the Heugh Battery Museum’s fund.

To donate visit the Heugh Battery Museum page at www.justgiving.com