By Laura May Wigby 

I have always been interested in the arts; I studied it at school and visit galleries whenever I get the chance. Keen to work in the arts sector, I started volunteering to gain experience.

I started in the Education Department of Norwich Castle Museum. My role included helping children with everything from dressing as Romans, to making mosaics and assisting on tours - I had a great time.

It was a real treat to see of the museum behind the scenes. I even spent a day assisting the Head of Education on visits outside the museum. I learned a huge amount about the castle as a whole, its modern workings and history, and gained the experience working in the art gallery and exhibitions held there.

My next volunteering experience came at the Norwich Textiles and Fashion Museum- a study centre, open by appointment. I helped out for one day five years ago, and was hooked - I've been volunteering with them ever since.

Initially I helped with a day of small tasks, which included a guided tour of the museum to learn more of its role in thecommunity (and how to pack my clothes so that they don't get creased!). I also helped in their library to catalogue their vast collection of books.

Now I volunteer independently to assist them with one of their continuous projects, helping to maintain the Street Fashion Files, which are portfolios of people in Norwich, focusing on their clothing - fashionable and ordinary. The idea is that in the future people can look back to see how the previous Norwich reasidents used todress (and probably have a giggle about it!).

It's great to know that not only am I helping the museum, but also creating a little piece of history that will be held in a museum forever.

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