THE hard work of the town museum and volunteers from the community has ensured that a centre offering important information to tourists to Okehampton will live on.

The Museum of Dartmoor Life has opened its doors for the new season, and has also opened the doors to the town's new tourist information centre in the museum reception.

The reception area has been given a new lease of life to make the centre a welcoming space, with new LED lighting, reception desk and carpets.

It stocks leaflets about local attractions, maps, guidebooks and locally made souvenirs and crafts.

Local accommodation providers will get the chance to advertise their accommodation in the centre, and there are plans to buy a computer with internet access for the reception, so volunteers can offer further help and information to visitors.

The museum has taken control of the information centre following the decision by West Devon Borough Council in April 2013 to cease funding both the Okehampton and Tavistock centres.

The borough council axed its financial support for the centres last year in order to help plug a £728,000 hole in the council's 2013/14 budget.

Removing the tourist information centre funding will save the council around £50,000 a year, and brings West Devon into line with neighbouring authorities where tourist information services are no longer run by local government.

Museum manager Andrew Thompson said: 'There has been an awful lot of hard work to get to this point but we think we can offer a really good tourist information service here.

'We wanted the focus of our tourist information service to be local, so the majority of the information we offer will be on Okehampton, North Dartmoor, and including a lot of West Devon, down to Tavistock.

'There is a lot to see and do around here and that is what we wanted to focus on.'

The centre is to be run by a team of volunteers. The museum relies on a dedicated team of volunteers and welcomes anyone who has a few hours to spare each week.

With the opening of the tourist information centre, the museum is looking for knowledgeable and friendly people from across West Devon to welcome visitors. Additional volunteers are also needed to help with other duties around the museum.

Mr Thompson said: 'The response from the community so far has been very good.

'At first it looked like we might struggle but then we had a flurry of volunteers, many of them with heritage experience and other relevant experience, coming forward.

'It means an awful lot to us but like any organisation like ourselves, we can always use more help.

'I encourage anyone who knows a lot about the area, or who would like to find out more, to get in touch and find out about the volunteering opportunities here.'

Mr Thompson expressed his thanks to Okehampton Town Council for its support of both the museum itself and the new tourist information facility.

Okehampton's deputy mayor Cllr Paul Vachon visited the museum on Monday to find out more about the museum's plans for the coming season and the information centre. The town council has supported the information centre project and museum with grants.

Cllr Vachon said he was impressed with the new reception area, finding it brighter and more welcoming to visitors.

'What Andrew and the team have done here at the museum in the last couple of years has been absolutely phenomenal,' said Cllr Vachon.

'The Museum of Dartmoor Life is no longer just a museum, it is a learning centre and an archive of information important to the area.

'It has been a complete turn around.

'It is one of the town's assets, one of Okehampton's jewels, yet it could always use more support.

'The town council is aware of that and we will try to support the museum as much as we can.

'I urge anyone looking for a volunteering opportunity to come here and find out more.'

The museum has a busy calendar of exhibitions and activities throughout the year.

Easter activities for children include Easter egg painting on April 16, and Easter egg letterboxing through the school holidays.

Other major events planned include a 'Moor to Shore' photography exhibition with a stunning array of photographs by Louise Horrod, a exhibition by Okehampton College on their numerous green energy projects and awards, and an exhibition by Okehampton Primary School on World War One.

Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Andrew Thompson by e-mail on [email protected]">[email protected] or phone 01837 52295.

The museum, shop and gallery will be open Monday to Friday from 10.15am to 4.15pm, and on Saturdays from 10.15am to 1pm.

For more information call 01837 52295.