Cambridge National Trust Volunteers

As an independent volunteer group, Cambridge National Trust Volunteers (CNTV) actively support the National Trust by giving up time to help preserve and maintain their properties. We typically work on Sundays, but also carry out longer weekend tasks during the year.

Our work includes such outdoor tasks as clearing scrub, gardening, laying hedges and footpath maintenance. We also help steward events at NT properties and organise a variety of social events. Some upcoming projects follow – why not join us?

SATURDAY 26th May: Social event: Cycle Ride - Join Tom on a cycle ride from Anglesey Abbey to Wicken Fen (and back!). Mileage approx 15-20 miles return trip.
SUNDAY 27th May: Anglesey Abbey: Working in Hoe Fen, doing some of the following: paint the bird hide, repair the pond access gate and make alterations to the pond dipping platform, remove dead coppice stumps in various areas.

Here’s a time-lapse video of some work we did recently building a fence at Wimpole Farm (video / photos: Paul H.)

Volunteering Diary

Ashridge Estate – 20th - 22nd April 2012

We had quite a variety of tasks this weekend. The first was to remove silt and sticks from a pond close to the Bridgewater Monument. Since we ended up finishing that task by lunchtime, we spent the afternoon taking in the hills around the property, which included the highest point in the Chilterns – Ivinghoe Beacon. Sunday morning saw us installing a fence around a deep pit dug into a site of geological interest.

Left: Clearing the pond; Right: The group of us (left photo: Lorraine R.; group shot kindly taken by Emily the warden)

Making a fence (photos: Lorraine R.)

Ickworth – 15th April 2012

(Alison B. writes:) The task was to remove two screens on either side of a small bird hide and replace with two new screens constructed of hazel. The old screens were a few years old, falling down and spouting new growth! Our task was to put up new screens, made by putting in new stake posts and weaving willow into screens.

Left: Old screen hides in place; Right: Hide with old screens removed (photos: Alison B. / Paul H.)

The warden gave us a brief idea of what he wanted, and left us to our own devices. The easy bit was taking down the old screens, which easily fell apart. Following several (slightly heated!) discussions we decided on the best way to construct the new screens and set to. On either side of the “hide shelter” we put in a double row of new stakes, at intervals, and in between each double stake, we put in a single stake. Then we used long, slender hazel branches, and weaved these in and out of the stakes. At regular height intervals, we roped the double row of stakes together, to keep the weaved hazel in place. The result – two new screens which looked very smart and were highly praised by the NT warden.

Photo - Weaving and construction of new screens

Left: Weaving and construction of new screens; Right: Completed screens (photos: Alison B. / Paul H.)

More Diary Entries

These diaries cover other work that we do – such as helping at the recent “Wimpole’s Finest Hour” event.

Our Flickr site has many more pictures; why not take a visit?

Thanks to Mythic Beasts, Cambridge for supporting CNTV and hosting this site.

If you have enjoyed reading our pages, you might like to look at our links to sites external to CNTV.