What’s it like to volunteer at Kinderdijk?

For Mathilde Vos, Kinderdijk did not start out as a special place. It was simply something that had always been there, right in her backyard. She lives in Oud-Alblas, close to the windmills, and grew up surrounded by the landscape. In winter she skated past the mills, and in summer she walked through the area.

To me, it all felt very normal. Only later did I realise: wow, this really is something special.

That truly changed when she started working there herself. After 48 years at a Dutch bank – where she grew from being a “human cash machine” to a manager – she decided, two years before retirement, to look for a new challenge. Mathilde has always been someone who likes to stay busy, and retirement certainly was not going to change that. “I saw in the newspaper that they were looking for volunteers. I went to have a look almost immediately, and the very next day I was here. That’s how fast it happened.”

“I immediately felt: this suits me”

Mathilde still remembers her first day clearly. She shadowed an experienced volunteer and mainly listened and learned. “He knew so much. I could ask him anything, and I really absorbed everything.” That feeling stayed with her. When the opportunity came up to follow the guide training course, she did not hesitate for a second. “I immediately thought: this is what I want to do. This really suits me.”

Nowadays, she guides groups of visitors every week, often in English. That is one of the things she enjoys most about the work.

“You meet people from all over the world. Everyone wants to know something different. That’s what makes it so enjoyable – you keep learning yourself too.”

And sometimes the questions are quite unexpected. “People seriously ask how you make the windmill go faster,” she says with a laugh. “Then I explain that it’s simply the wind, and that only nature can power the mill. For many visitors, that remains a fascinating moment.”

Every Day Feels Different

What makes volunteering at Kinderdijk so special is that no two days feel the same. That is partly because of the people you meet, but also because of the place itself. “Every day I think: it’s so beautiful here,” Mathilde says. “It constantly changes. In winter it feels calm and open, while in summer the reeds are everywhere.”

“If I get the chance, I always go to the bridge,” she says. “From there you can see everything at once: the windmills, the water, the boats, the pumping station. And it’s often a bit quieter there than near the museum mill.”

Sometimes, the moments when everything is truly in motion make the biggest impression. “When the pumping stations are running and you see how much water is being lifted, people really stop and stare,” Mathilde explains. “A lot of visitors absolutely love it. You can really see them thinking: wow, this is serious power.”

“You do it together”

Besides guiding tours, Mathilde has also been actively involved with the Kinderdijk World Heritage Foundation for many years. She helped new volunteers get started and contributed ideas for improvements. Sharing knowledge plays an important role in that. “Not only guides should know the story,” she explains. “Everyone working here should understand the basics. That makes it more enjoyable for everyone to be here and to share the story. That’s why volunteers and staff now receive training about the story of Kinderdijk.”

What she may enjoy most about the work is the connection with people – both visitors from all over the world and fellow volunteers. Having coffee together, talking after a tour, or helping each other where needed is simply part of it.“You really feel appreciated,” she says. “Sometimes there’s just a little note saying, ‘Thanks for being here today.’ That’s so lovely.”

For Mathilde, everything comes together at Kinderdijk. “It’s about nature, people, history and windmills,” she says. “And the fact that you get to share that with people from all over the world… that remains truly special.”