LOCAL people are being asked to volunteer their time to support visitors to Haworth.

The Visitor Ambassadors will provide a warm welcome to tourists and help them make the most of their stay in the area.

The volunteers will update visitors on attractions and events and help with maps and directions, working out of a new Visitor Information Point at Haworth railway station.

The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway agreed to provide space following the closure of the long-established visitor information centre at the top of Main Street.

The new centre will provide information on the local area for visitors to Haworth and Brontë Country.

The heritage railway has teamed up with Visit Bradford – Bradford Council’s tourism team – for the venture, with Visit Bradford spearheading the search for ambassadors.

The team are looking for people aged 18 or over, who are passionate about the area, enjoy meeting new people and sharing their knowledge.

Shifts are flexible and will be available seven days a week. 

Anyone who is interested in finding out more about becoming a Visitor Ambassador can go to a pop-in session on Wednesday March 18, when Visit Bradford staff will be at Haworth Station between 10am and noon.

Visit visitbradford.com/volunteer for further information.

Worth Valley ward councillor Russell Brown said he welcomed any initiative that helped promote the district.

He said: “It was very sad when they closed the visitor centre last year. We needed something and the railway have stepped up to the plate. It’s great that they are batting for the district.

“Visitor Ambassadors are a great idea because people are going to go to the station when they arrive, and we can signpost them around the area.

“If we can get people into the district, the ambassadors can get them to stay and make the most of what’s here.”

Fellow district councillor Rebecca Poulsen was less enthusiastic about the Visitor Ambassador project, especially if it meant relying on volunteers to keep the new visitor centre open.

She said: “We had an excellent visitor centre in the village. We tried to keep it open, and now we’re trying to do this again but with volunteers.

“It’s great to have a visitor information centre at the station because it’s a focal point, but if they want volunteers every day, it’s a big ask.

“We already ask a lot from volunteers in this area – litter picking, running groups, working at the railway. There’s not a bottomless pit of people available.”

Cllr Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places, said: “This is an excellent opportunity for anyone able to spare time to share with visitors information about the great things to see and do in and around Haworth.”