Dippy the dinosaur is heading to Rochdale and you could be part of it!

The Natural History Museum’s famous dinosaur, Dippy, is set to visit Rochdale as part of a national tour and organisers are on the lookout for volunteers to be part of this once in a lifetime experience.

Dippy left the museum in 2016 to go a on a tour of the UK and Rochdale will be his only stop in the North West.

The iconic Diplodocus cast will be in Rochdale from 10 February to 28 June next year.

In Rochdale, visitors will be able to meet Dippy the dinosaur at Number One Riverside and enjoy a Dippy Exhibition at Touchstones Rochdale, where they can delve even deeper into the world of dinosaurs and nature.

The exhibition will include a prehistoric swampland, depicting the Rochdale of millions of years ago, and a dinosaur gallery.

Visitors can also see the fossil of Rochdale’s famous scorpion, which is 300 million years old, even older than the dinosaurs, and explore sustainability in the biodiversity gallery.

Councillor Janet Emsley, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, community and culture at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “As one of only eight stops on the whole UK tour, Dippy’s visit to Rochdale is a once in a lifetime opportunity for our borough, and volunteers will play a major role in it.

“It doesn’t matter whether you’re young or old or what your background or experience is. If you’re enthusiastic and positive and can help make this an unforgettable experience for our visitors, we want to hear from you. There are four different experiences to choose from, so there is something for everyone.”

Help desk and reception volunteers will support staff to create a warm welcome. They will help with booking and reception duties and support visitors by answering their questions about the exhibition, facilities and the local area.

Retail volunteers will help out in the on-site shops at both venues, keeping them well-stocked with dino goodies and helping to provide great customer service.

School experience volunteers will support the work of the education teams at both venues. They will welcome school groups and help guide their visit, supporting their journey between Number One Riverside and Touchstones Rochdale and sharing interesting facts and artefacts along the way.

Visitor experience volunteers will help to provide a warm welcome by helping to engage the visitors with the exhibition through object handling, interpretation and assisting at public events.

Anyone who is interested in volunteering with Dippy, is asked to complete the expression of interest form at:

• visitrochdale.com/dippyvolunteers