SEBA - South East Berkshire Association

Volunteering For the Trust

Writing in Active the newsletter for National Trust volunteers, the Chairman Simon Jenkins takes up the theme of making the Trust more friendly. He says that he is aware that our visitors’ expectations about historic places have changed in the last decade: "They want to be welcomed to a house, not allowed to look around a museum". Since becoming Chairman in 2008, Simon has used one phrase over and over again, "urging us to bring our houses to life". "What would you do if you invited a guest to your house?" he asks. "You’d take their coat, put them in front of a fire and even offer them a cup of tea. The question in my mind is, how can we approximate that when people get to National Trust houses." What’s more, Simon insists that volunteers are central to the entire process. "We’ve found that the local people and volunteers - who have often been associated with the house far longer than any member of staff - are the people that have the best ideas for bringing a place to life."

We are probably used to the idea of volunteers acting as room stewards, but how about the thought of roof stewards? Tyntesfield is undergoing renovation on the roof, and a scaffold structure has been built around the property 55 metres wide and 22 metres tall. Normally visitors would have to be kept away, but in this case an intrepid group of volunteers is taking small parties onto the roof under close supervision to see what is going on. Information boards explain what is happening, and visitors can see at first hand why the roof needed replacing.

At a quick glance, much of the Workhouse at Southwell is little more than an empty shell, but a guided tour from a knowledgeable enthusiast works wonders in bringing the place to life. For the past few years there has been a Storytelling Group based at the property. This started with on-site events, but now also reaches out to give presentations to a wide range of local groups. Many of the stories are told in costume through the eyes of a specific person, and using props such as scrubbing brushes, brooms and carbolic soap. Though they are based either on real moments in history from the Workhouse or on events in Victorian life, the presenters weave in personal reflections, aiming to give personalities to the inmates and staff. They always include a significant amount of authentic day-to-day detail so audiences can gain an understanding of everyday life in the Workhouse. The success of these events depends of course on volunteer researchers, as well as on the presenters themselves.

And finally, one volunteer room guide at Calke Abbey described herself as suffering withdrawal symptoms when the house is closed in the winter. She wrote in a Facebook entry that she could not wait for the new season to begin, and was taking walks in the grounds to help keep in touch with her beloved property!

This page is based on an article in the SEBA newsletter dated July 2010.

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