Our dedicated volunteers

Jennie James

“My name is Jennie James and before you ask, no, I am not one of the James family from Coromandel. I’m another one who was recruited by Val Macdonald and that was about 15 years ago.

At the time I joined, the museum was getting its first computer with the aim of transferring all the catalogues of items held by the museum from paper onto a database. I started on that job in 2014 and am still doing it all these years later.

I joined the committee early on and am currently the chairperson. As well as the cataloguing, I work on the desk, meeting and greeting our visitors, write the monthly newsletter for members and help with displays.

In my time I have seen major changes at the Museum, including the relocation of the Firlawn House dairy onto our site with tremendous support from the community, the setting up of the merchandising area and the introduction of changing displays often with the co-operation of local community groups.

There is always something new and interesting to discover while sorting through the museum’s artefacts and documents, which reveal the town’s fascinating past.

Most of our volunteers are now in their 70s and 80s so without the help of younger members of the community the Museum’s existence may be limited. We need to preserve our town’s history and we need your help to do it.”

“I retired to Coromandel from Tokoroa in 2008 with my wife Jennie. She has been a museum committee member for much of that time and as I know what’s good for me, I help out when needed to preserve matrimonial harmony!

In all seriousness, volunteering at the museum is great as I get to meet a really cool range of local people with different skills and a vast knowledge of regional history. This also helps me
to feel connected with the area and its past history.

I’m a mechanical engineer by training, having been involved the running of pulp and paper mills in the central north island and Auckland.

I do maintenance work for the museum as and when required but also restore and enhance historic photographs held by them, using AI-based computer software that we have at home.

It’s pretty cool to be able to bring a lifetime’s work experience to support a really valuable local resource, particularly as it’s entirely run by volunteers and receives relatively little official funding.

How about bringing your skills to give us a hand? It can be as much or little time as you’re able to donate and meeting a range of other people is always enjoyable.”