Palace Cinema Volunteer Ushers: From April 2026 Survey

APPLICATION FORM

Volunteer Ushers support cinema staff to ensure that film screenings run smoothly for all audience members. We are looking for people who know the Palace, love all kinds of film and would enjoy working with the public as part of a team.

We have several places available for Volunteer Ushers for the period April-Sept 2026 with the possibility of extending to Jan 2027.

Applicants must be available to attend a 60min group training session at the Palace on either Fri 20 March at 5.45pm or Sat 21 March at 11.45am.

Thank you for completing this Application Form. The deadline for applications is Sunday 15 March. All applicants will be contacted on Tues 17 March.

This form has 10 questions: The first 5 cover the usher role and responsibilities, the last 5 are about you. Please note that any personal information required is for Volunteer Usher recruitment purposes only; if your application is successful your information will be retained, if not it will be destroyed.

1.Volunteer Usher shifts
The screening schedule at the Palace is largely fixed, but flexible to accommodate film running times and additional hires and special events.

The Volunteer Usher rota is organised by day of the week, not by film. Volunteer ushers will be allocated shifts according to their availability. If they want to swap to another volunteer shift, they arrange this directly with other volunteers via the Usher WhatsApp group (NB It is important that we can add your mobile number to this WhatsApp group for this purpose).

There is one volunteer in the auditorium per shift.

Each volunteer does 2 shifts per month, each approx 3 hours, afternoon and/or evening. Please let us know which of these 7 shifts you would be available for in principle. It can be just one or several.

2.Volunteer Usher responsibilities
Volunteer ushers will have support and supervision from Palace staff and will wear Volunteer Usher badges for identification. The role includes a number of essential tasks, all of which will be covered in detail during training sessions.

Please check through this list of tasks below and tick each to show that you are ready and able in principle to perform this Volunteer Usher task.

Stay in stalls level of auditorium from when doors open until last audience member has left.

Stand in designated place before and after film, sit in designated usher seat during film.

Answer audience enquiries or direct enquiries to cinema staff.

Open rear doors for disabled audience members requiring step-free access to cinema.

Guide latecomers to their seats with torch.

Report persistent audience disruption to cinema staff in foyer by quickly going upstairs.

3.Watching films
Volunteer ushers watch a film at the same time as maintaining 1. Awareness of what is happening in the auditorium, and 2. Vigilance in case they need to leave the auditorium to report anything to cinema staff.

Please check through and tick these 3 statements regarding watching films. Please then confirm that you understand and accept that watching a film as Volunteer Usher is not the same as watching it as a paying audience member.

I will be able to request a shift when a certain film is playing, but I accept that I may not get this shift.

During a screening, I will remain vigilant regarding Health & Safety (covered in training session) at the same time as watching the film.

If during a screening I have cause to leave the auditorium as part of my role as a Volunteer Usher, I will not be able to return to watch the same film again for free at another time.

4.Training & feedback
Initial training for all volunteers includes an introduction to volunteer responsibilities, cinema staff and other Volunteer Ushers, Health & Safety guidelines and an overview of the work that goes on behind the scenes for the Palace Cinema's film and events programme. On-going support for volunteers includes opportunities to feedback individually and receive additional guidance as required.

There will be two 60min training sessions for Volunteer Ushers at the Palace. The training content of both will be identical but the attendees will vary; if your application is successful and you join us for this training, you are welcome to attend one session or both. Please indicate below which of the sessions you could do.

Fri 20 March 17:45-18:45

Sat 21 March 11:45-12:45

I could attend both/either of these training sessions.

5.Volunteer Usher 'person specification'
There are some specific skills, qualities and experience required for the role of Volunteer Usher. We are not asking for applicants to be expert in these or to have had jobs in the past in which they have had to use them.

Please check through these five person specifications to be sure that you feel you could bring these to the role in principle, and tick against each to confirm.

I have experience of and/or enthusiasm for working/volunteering directly with the public.

I am physically able to stand before/after film and manage the stairs from foyer to stalls.

I could manage a calm, warm and authoritative demeanour when dealing with audience members.

I am a film fan who enjoys watching all kinds of films, old and new, from mainstream and popular to more diverse cinema from around the world.

I am a film fan who is ready and willing as a Volunteer Usher to have my viewing interrupted by audience needs.

6.5 questions about you
All these details will kept confidentially. We ask them mainly to have your contact details but also so that we can ensure that the Volunteer Usher team includes as wide a variety as possible representing our local community!

Please give us your full name:

7.Please tell us what age bracket you are in:

*DOB if you are aged 15-18:

8.In this box, please give us these three things: 1. Your email address, 2. Your mobile number and 3. Your postcode.

10.Finally, please tell us in a couple of sentences why you would like to be a Volunteer Usher at the Palace?