Meet Durham's Tourism Superstar

Kynren’s head of volunteer casting and engagement, Wendy Wilshere, is flying the flag for the North East in the VisitEngland Tourism Superstar Awards. She's the only person who has made the finals from our region after winning Durham Tourism Superstar in 2024, in recognition of her dedication to Kynren and its volunteers.

Wendy is one of ten finalists in the prestigious national competition, which celebrates the dedication and passion of the industry’s employees and volunteers. To take the crown Wendy needs your vote! 

But what exactly does Wendy’s role involve and what does a typical day look like for her? And most importantly... why should you vote for her to become the national champ? We spoke to Wendy to find out more...  

Head of volunteer casting and engagement is a unique job title – what does it entail?

"Quite simply, my job is to look after and organise all the incredible volunteers in Kynren – all 1,000 of them! Without their enthusiasm and dedication, there simply wouldn’t be a show, and we all work together as a fantastic team to produce this award-winning spectacle.

My role includes setting up open calls to recruit new volunteers, helping to write schedules and timetables, circulating clear communications and updates with team leaders and the volunteers themselves plus arranging volunteer discounts.  

Last year, I felt extremely privileged to organise a picnic for Kynren’s team of volunteers involved in the production to thank them for their dedication and give them a much-needed afternoon off before the live shows began. Coinciding with Volunteers’ Week, it featured outdoor games, crafting competitions, ice breaker activities and live music – it was a great afternoon and a lovely opportunity to all come together.

In January this year, our volunteers enjoyed a winter ball to provide everyone with an amazing celebration and a chance to socialise and celebrate all their achievements – I absolutely loved organising this for everyone and to see the smiles on everyone’s faces was the best feeling. Not forgetting our younger volunteers too, who have also been treated to a special afternoon of fun. 

My role doesn’t stop there though – I also support our fantastic choreographers at rehearsals to teach the movement and dance to the Archers (the collective name for Kynren’s volunteers) following my time volunteering in the show itself. 

Our volunteers do a phenomenal job of spreading the word about Kynren, and to support this, I also ensure I attend as many local events and county shows as possible to reach new audiences, as well as national travel trade events to spread awareness about Kynren and the wider county".

So how did you get to become Kynren’s head of volunteer casting and engagement? 

"When you take a moment to step back and look at my career path, everything I’ve done has perfectly combined to provide me with the essential skills for my role at Kynren. 

My background is in sports development alongside managing leisure centres and this has provided me with the ability to oversee and organise busy schedules – I’ve gone from looking after 600 pupils at a busy swim school to 1,000 volunteers at Kynren. 

I was also a martial arts instructor for several years and as the chief instructor, my role was to teach classes, from private clients to seminars. In the latter stage of my career, I was a full-time volunteer co-ordinator at Beamish Museum, where I focused on the recruitment, retention and development of the museum’s roster of over 400 volunteers – something which has been vitally important in my role at Kynren. 

I also feel very lucky that I have been a part of Kynren since the show’s very first season, so I’ve experienced what it’s like to volunteer here. I’ve been able to take my experiences and learnings to make sure every single person has an incredible time during rehearsals and on show nights, just like I did. 

I made the move last year to become an employed member of the Kynren team and it’s been one of the best decisions I've ever made. Kynren isn’t just a production, it’s a family full of the most amazing people and I think it’s fair to say that we all feel incredibly lucky we get to be a part of it – no matter what role we have". 

What would you say is the most important skill in your role?

"When meeting someone who is considering volunteering at Kynren, the most important thing is to listen. You need to fully understand what this individual is interested in and what they are hoping to get from volunteering at the show so you can best advise which team they would most enjoy. After all, Kynren should be a fantastic experience for everyone, and we need to make sure people are assigned to the right team, so they get the most out of it.

Even for existing volunteers, I would still say the skill of listening is the most important. Our team of volunteers have some amazing ideas and suggestions and it’s our role to listen to them, making them feel valued and fully part of the team". 

So what does a typical day at Kynren look like for you?

"This is why I love my job so much – there isn’t a typical day for me at Kynren! 

In the build up to Kynren’s summer season, a lot of my attention will be on rehearsal schedules, open calls to recruit new volunteers and liaising with all of the volunteers and team leaders to ensure we know who will be attending the different rehearsals across the multiple teams, as well as confirming which volunteers will be performing in our nine shows. It's quite a juggling act, but our volunteers are all incredibly helpful which makes everything so much easier. 

Communication is an essential part of my role, ensuring all the volunteers and team leaders know what’s expected of them and understand where they need to be and when. 

At the start of this year, my working days have been on the road, travelling up and down the country to different exhibitions, events and trade shows to represent Kynren and spread the word about this amazing show and why it is a must-see. 

Fast forward to April onwards, and my evenings will be spent attending rehearsals with a smaller group of wonderful volunteers to make sure we are all up to speed with our roles and responsibilities on the show team. Ten years on and I still love stepping on stage alongside my friends to deliver a standout performance to wow our audiences. 

Most of all, I ensure that any questions and suggestions from our cohort of volunteers are listened to and responded to. It's important our volunteers to feel that they can come to us with anything and feel included every step of the way".

And how did you feel when you were told you’re a finalist in the VisitEngland Tourism Superstar Awards?

"I was absolutely blown away! It is a wonderful privilege to represent the North East in such an important national competition and I really hope I do our region proud. 

The other nine finalists are brilliant, and all play a key role in our industry, so I do feel a sense of achievement to be included alongside them. 

This year is Kynren’s milestone tenth anniversary season and following our recent announcement about Kynren – The Storied Lands which is due to open next summer, winning the VisitEngland Tourism Superstar Award would be the icing on the cake for the show!

Thank you to everyone who has already voted for me, it truly is appreciated". 

We truly believe Wendy is a Tourism Superstar and deserves to win the national competition.

In order to that she needs your vote! Please cast your vote before 23 March 2025. Thank you.