What are you doing this weekend?

WHAT ARE NTV GROUPS? National Trust Volunteer (NTV) groups are independent, self-supporting groups of volunteers who carry out conservation projects for the National Trust.   HOW OFTEN DO WE MEET? Work parties are held about twice a month throughout the year usually on a Sunday. You come when you can make the time.   WHO ARE WE? Whilst the composition of the group changes over the years there is usually an interest common to all of us, which is a love of the countryside. Currently the team's ages range from mid twenties to a young seventy year old. Our backgrounds are varied and from all walks of life, for example the current membership has a nurse, a business consultant and an agricultural engineer, plus a number of retired people. The number of people on a work party varies from week to week but averages out about nine or ten from a strong nucleus of about fifteen.   WHAT DO WE DO? We try to build in as much variety as possible to our work programme and as an example over the past few years we have tackled all of the following tasks with varying degrees of success: Bridge building, tree & hedge planting, style erection, hedge laying (not one of our better efforts - it's not easy!!!), pond creation and reclamation, fencing, path maintenance, scrub clearance, erosion control, spring cleaning & painting with a little light gardening thrown in for good measure, and of course not forgetting surveys and wildlife monitoring. So you can see there is probably something to interest most people, and before you ask if you want to learn dry stone walling Hampshire is not the county!   HOW DO WE WORK? Each workday will start by meeting the Trust warden at a pre arranged location at about 10 o'clock, where he will explain the tasks for the day, giving us detailed instructions of what he wants us to do and why he wants it done. Generally our tasks form just a small part of the overall conservation plan and giving us information about why we are carrying out a certain job enables us to have an insight into the big picture that is the conservation, preservation and management of the Trust properties and estates. Tools to carry out the jobs are provided and mid morning & afternoon breaks allow a welcome cup of tea or coffee and a chocolate biscuit on the Trust!! You just bring clothing to match the weather, strong boots or wellies and your lunch. The day usually ends about 3.30 to 4 o'clock.   WHERE DO WE WORK? As our group name suggests the main work sites within our area are The New Forest, Stockbridge Down & Marsh, Winchester City Mill, Hambledon and The Mottisfont Estate, which we regard as our "home" pitch. From time to time we work at other Trust properties out of our area such as Pepperbox Hill in Wiltshire. Once a year we organise a weekend away to work on a Trust property a little further from home, say in Dorset, Sussex or Somerset. This is a wonderful opportunity to visit and work on sites we do not normally see. Joint workdays with other volunteer groups come up, when the task at hand is too large for one group to cope with.   IS IT ALL WORK? NO not quite! We have a social programme where we organise at least one social event per quarter. In the past these include pub evenings (thinly disguised as the AGM!) barbecues and guided walks. Occasionally we are all treated to a full lunch at Mottisfont Abbey by the Estate manger and his wardens as a thank you for our efforts, which is nice.   ARE THERE ANY BENEFITS? YES!! We are helping to conserve our environment and protect our heritage. But apart from that, if you complete several days work, you will get an admission card giving you free access to all the NT properties, clock up 50 hours and you will be entitled to a volunteer card which not only gives free entry to all NT properties but allows a discount of 20% on goods in the NT shops. Both cards are valid for a year. The Trust will also help towards the cost of your travel to and from the work sites. The latest buzzword for conservation work is the Green gymnasium and there is no doubt if you want to "work out" in the fresh air rather than on a boring treadmill in a gym you can certainly keep fit.   WHAT'S STOPPING YOU? If you enjoy the outdoors, don't mind a little dirt and enjoy working with others - come and join us. Some of our work may be hard at times, but we do not expect super human results, turning up and doing what you can is enough. So long as you are reasonably fit, you should find it great fun and very rewarding. Why not join us on one of our events before committing yourself to membership - you may even enjoy it. For more information about our group please contact us   There are now over 50 National Trust Volunteer groups throughout England and Wales. For more information about these groups or for information on National Trust Working Holidays please contact the volunteer office at the address below or visit the 'volunteering and community involvement' web site.   The Volunteer Office The National Trust 33 Sheep Street Cirencester Gloucestershire GL7 1QW

Matt Collis, SHNTV. Last Modified: 09/09/2006