This is just a taster of the programme: late events are often announced on our email list. Members should use the username and password they were given to download the full programme including contact telephone numbers. Non-members can join here.
| Date | Event | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| SUNDAY 26th May | Hatfield Forest: clearing woody material from the marsh using loppers and stacking reed to burn. | Kyle V. |
| SUNDAY 2nd Jun | Social Event: A circular walk starting from Wilburton Church, taking in the hamlet of Aldreth and Haddenham. Around 5 miles. | Clyde S. |
| SUNDAY 23rd Jun | Anglesey Abbey: tidying around the new tree/shrub planting along the boundary bank to the new car park. | Alison B. |
| SATURDAY 29th - SUNDAY 30th Jun | Wimpole Estate: Helping with Wimpole’s scything weekend. Volunteers are welcome on both days but are primarily needed on Sunday. (If anybody wishes to help on Saturday contact Simon Damant direct on 07770 430992 or simon.damant@nationaltrust.org.uk) | Val W. |
| FRIDAY 19th - SUNDAY 21st Jul | Working weekend away at Belton House. Work still to be decided. No cosy accommodation for this one but good old outdoor camping! (Don’t forget the weekend booking form!) | To be confirmed |
We have maps, route finders and travel instructions available for lift sharing, cycling and driving. Task leaders will find guidance notes and the form for recording task hours in the members’ area.
| Date | Event | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| SUNDAY 9th Jan | Helping with refurbishing the carriage at Wimpole Farm (in the Great Barn so doesn’t matter about the weather). | Alison B. |
| SUNDAY 16th Jan | Another opportunity to help at the Botanic Gardens in the Schools garden in the Sensory area which has become overgrown. Please be aware that this is not an NT task and will not count towards your volunteer card. | Val W. |
| SUNDAY 30th Jan | A day at Anglesey Abbey doing pathway maintenance using woodchip and gravel in various places | Kyle V. |
| SUNDAY 6th Feb | Helping on the Wimpole Estate clearing up with chipping machine after hedge laying competition, and maybe an opportunity to do some hedge laying. | Mark T. |
| SUNDAY 13th Feb | Committee Meeting – venue TBC. | Any committee member |
| SUNDAY 13th Feb | Another opportunity to help Philip with the path through the pleasure Grounds at Wimpole, probably preparing the planting areas. | Tom H. |
| SUNDAY 20th Feb | Social event: A short walk followed by lunch – probably based around Anglesey Abbey. | John (Lop) E. |
| SUNDAY 27th Feb | A trip to Lyveden New Bield to prune apple and pear trees in their orchard. | Andrew T. |
| SUNDAY 6th Mar | An opportunity to continue our woodland thinning at Anglesey Abbey in the Mill field (hopefully drier than last time!) | Tony H. |
| SUNDAY 13th Mar | Helping out at Houghton Mill, with pre-season tidying up before they open for the year. | Joan A. |
| WEDNESDAY 16th Mar | Social event: A welcome return of the CNTV pub evening – probably including a meal. Starts at the Castle Inn. | Pete J. |
| SUNDAY 27th Mar | A day at Melford Hall – possibly some tree work but definitely post-winter tidying in the West Moat, garden, parkland and car park. | Pete J. |
| FRIDAY 1st - SUNDAY 3rd Apr | Weekend away: To start our 30th anniversary celebrations we have booked a bunkhouse in the Peak District. Come and join us to walk or sight see or just enjoy having a weekend away. | John (Lop) E. |
| SUNDAY 10th Apr | Wimpole Farm: Task yet to be decided. The lambing will have finished, so there will be plenty of things to do. | John (Lop) E. |
| SUNDAY 17th Apr | Anglesey Abbey: Helping to prepare for the Easter Events the following weekend which will include making the site ready for the ‘Egg Raft Race’ along the river. | Kyle V. |
| SUNDAY 8th May | Lyveden New Bield: Task to be confirmed. | Tony H. |
| SUNDAY 15th May | Committee Meeting – venue TBC | Any committee member |
| SUNDAY 15th May | Wimpole Gardens: Working in the gardens, possibly on the newly acquired area to the east of the walled garden (path-work) or on the plant hunter path, light pruning. | Alison B. |
| SUNDAY 22nd May | A social day out: Clyde has offered to lead a walk of about 3-4 miles around the Wilburton area with a possible stop at a Garden Centre for tea (and cakes)!! | Clyde S. |
| SUNDAY 5th Jun | Anglesey Abbey: Continuing our tree thinning work on the Mill Field tree plantation. Clearing undergrowth and felling some larger trees to prevent overcrowding. | Tom H. |
| SUNDAY 12th Jun | Ickworth: Erecting tree guards in the park. | Andrew W. |
| SUNDAY 19th Jun | Social event: A day out punting on the river in Cambridge. | Kyle V. |
| SATURDAY 25th - SUNDAY 26th Jun | Wimpole Estate: Helping with a scything weekend. Tasks include manning a small beer festival, help with making the hay by hand and other bits and bobs like cleaving. | Saturday: Mark T.; Sunday: To be confirmed |
| FRIDAY 1st - SUNDAY 3rd Jul | Weekend away at Scotney Castle in Kent. | Barbara C. |
| SUNDAY 10th Jul | Ride cutting at Hatfield Forest: clearing overgrown vegetation from the ancient rides through the forest. | Pete J. |
| SUNDAY 17th Jul | Wimpole Gardens: Task yet to be decided – but you can guarantee it will be a good one! | Rob R. |
| SUNDAY 31st Jul | Anglesey Abbey: A task related to the ‘Anglesey’s Finest Hour’ weekend event. Tasks to include helping with childrens’ craft activities, help gardeners deliver refreshments to re-enactors, manning memorabilia exhibits in garden and many other jobs. | Val W. |
| SUNDAY 7th Aug | Cutting and clearing the hay Meadow at Ickworth Estate. Mowing and clearing grass on one of Ickworth’s more diverse grassland habitat areas. Removal of the cut grass reduces nutrient input back into the ground to help maintain the presence of wildflower hay meadow flowers. Cutting keeps brambles and hawthorn from taking over the area. | Vicky N. |
| SUNDAY 14th Aug | Committee Meeting – venue TBC. | Any committee member |
| SUNDAY 14th Aug | Working in Wimpole Gardens, possibly on the newly acquired area to the east of the walled garden (path work) or on the plant hunter path. | Tom H. |
| SUNDAY 28th Aug | Social day out: A picnic at Wandlebury Ring, to celebrate 30 years of CNTV. | Alison B. |
| SUNDAY 4th Sep | Pruning laurel in the Albana Walk at Ickworth Gardens. This is to regenerate the woodland shrubbery, to allow views into and out of this area in line with Garden Conservation Plan decisions. First task (hopefully of many) working for Sean Reid, the Head Gardener. | Andrew W. |
| SUNDAY 11th Sep | Wimpole Home Farm: Tidying up - litter picking, weeding, undergrowth clearance… | Joan A. |
| SUNDAY 18th Sep | A welcome return to Oxburgh Hall. Task to be decided. | Vicky N. |
| SUNDAY 25th Sep | Anglesey Abbey: Task to be decided. | John (Lop) E. |
| SUNDAY 2nd Oct | Lyveden New Bield: Coppicing in Ladywood. | Tony H. |
| FRIDAY 7th - SUNDAY 9th Oct | Weekend away at Calke Abbey in Derbyshire. (Don’t forget the weekend booking form!) | John (Lop) E. |
| SUNDAY 16th Oct | Annual General Meeting: Wimpole Village Hall at 5pm. | |
| SUNDAY 16th Oct | Wimpole Gardens: Task to be decided, but it’s likely to be in the Pleasure Grounds. | Tom H. |
| SUNDAY 23rd Oct | Melford Hall: Coppicing in the Long Plantation. | Mark T. |
| SUNDAY 30th Oct | Committee Meeting: Time and place to be decided. | Any committee member |
| SUNDAY 30th Oct | Wimpole Home Farm: Emulsion one or two rooms upstairs in the Dairy. | Kyle V. |
| SATURDAY 5th Nov | Fireworks: Evening out at the bonfire in Cambridge. | Rob R. |
| FRIDAY 11th - SUNDAY 13th Nov | Weekend away at Black Down in Sussex. Working on the new building at Swan Barn Farm, possibly using traditional methods to make wooden roof shingles. Limited to 8 or 9 volunteers. (Don’t forget the weekend booking form!) | Clyde S. and Tom H. |
| SUNDAY 20th Nov | Wicken Fen: The job is to work within a plantation and pollard overgrown trees so that they may create better bird habitat. | Neil B. |
| SUNDAY 27th Nov | Anglesey Abbey: Helping to prepare for the Lantern Lit event on the following weekend. Making lanterns and doing some repairs on last year’s lanterns. There may be preparation of materials, ready for children making their own lanterns. (Help is also needed throughout the day of the event itself, Saturday 3rd Dec, helping children with lantern making, setting out and lighting lanterns along the winter walk, plus general tasks associated with the event. Contact Rachel Beaumont on 01223 810385.) | Val W. |
| SATURDAY 10th - SUNDAY 11th Dec | Wimpole Hall: Helping with the Wimpole pre-Christmas events. Chestnut selling, car parking, clearing tables, etc. (Similar help is needed at Wimpole Hall on 21-22 Nov and 3-4 Dec, if anyone is free those weekends. Contact Catherine Hayburn on 01223 206006) | Alison B. |
| SUNDAY 18th Dec | Hatfield Forest: The work is expected to include cutting and burning scrub. | Tony H. |
| 2012 | ||
| SUNDAY 8th Jan | Anglesey Abbey: Boundary hedge cutting. | Val W. |
| SUNDAY 15th Jan | Ickworth Gardens: Continuing our Laurel pruning work. | Andrew W. |
| FRIDAY 20th - SUNDAY 22nd Jan | Our annual weekend away at Brancaster; an opportunity to distribute paint in the Millennium Activity Centre whilst being fed excellent food! (Don’t forget the weekend booking form!) | Clyde S. |
| SUNDAY 29th Jan | Wandlebury Ring: Vegetation and scrub clearance on the Iron Age Ring Ditch at Wandlebury, The aim is to remove all scrubby vegetation so we can try to keep on top of it with the flail. Please be aware that this is not an NT task and will not count towards your hours. | Janet N. |
| SUNDAY 5th Feb | Wimpole Estate: Helping clear up after a hedge laying competition. | Pete J. |
| SUNDAY 12th Feb | Anglesey Abbey: Coppicing work in the Mill Field plantation or Hoe Fen. | Alison B. |
| SUNDAY 19th Feb | Committee Meeting: Time and place to be decided. | Any committee member |
| SUNDAY 19th Feb | Wimpole Farm: Emulsioning rooms upstairs in the old dairy. | Kyle V. |
| SUNDAY 26th Feb | Melford Hall: Coppicing and thinning in the Long Plantation. | Rob R. |
| SUNDAY 4th Mar | Hatfield Forest: Woodland management, details to be decided. | To be Confirmed |
| SUNDAY 11th Mar | Houghton Mill: Helping with the pre-season set-up and tidying. | John (Lop) E. |
| SUNDAY 18th Mar | Ickworth Estate: Coppicing hazel stools in the woods. As we go we will sort out the bean poles, from the stakes, from the firewood, and burn up the rest. Lots of sawing,chopping and burning deep in the woods. (First part of a two-part task. We will return on 15th April, to take the hazel that we have sorted and create a hazel weaved bird hide.) | Janet N. |
| SUNDAY 25th Mar | Ramsey Abbey Gatehouse: Helping with the pre-season spring clean. | Janet N. |
| APRIL 2012 - JUNE 2012 | Surprise social event: Pete is going to organize a social event this quarter – however as yet it is still in the planning stage! Details to be announced in due course – watch this space! | Pete J. |
| SUNDAY 1st Apr | Anglesey Abbey: Helping to prepare for the Easter Events the following weekend which will include making the site ready for the ‘Egg Raft Race’ along the river. (Help is also needed for the Easter raft event itself, the following weekend. More details will be available nearer the time) | Tom H. |
| SUNDAY 1st Apr | Anglesey Abbey: Helping to prepare for the Easter Events the following weekend which will include making the site ready for the ‘Egg Raft Race’ along the river. (Help is also needed for the Easter raft event itself, the following weekend. More details will be available nearer the time). | Tom H. |
| SUNDAY 15th Apr | Ickworth Estate: Creating a hazel weaved bird hide, from the hazel that we will have cut and sorted in March. This will enable visitors to sit and watch birds feed. | Alison B. |
| FRIDAY 20th - SUNDAY 22nd Apr | Weekend away at the Ashridge Estate in the Chilterns. Work still to be decided. (Don’t forget the weekend booking form!) | Barbara C. |
| SUNDAY 29th Apr | Wimpole Gardens: Task to be decided. | Clyde S. |
| SUNDAY 13th May | Lyveden New Bield: Helping clear reeds from the moat, either by wading in, as we have done before, or removing surface weed working from a small boat. Also working on the bank, collecting and taking away the cleared reeds. | Tony H. |
| SUNDAY 20th May | Wimpole Farm: Task to be decided. | Kyle V. |
| SUNDAY 20th May | Committee Meeting: Time and place to be decided. | Any committee member |
| 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. | Tom H. |
| 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. | John (Lop) E. |
| SUNDAY 10th Jun | Melford Hall: A post-Spring cut back in the dried-up West Moat which we have cleared in previous years. | Tom H. |
| SUNDAY 17th Jun | Hatfield Forest: The task will be a clean up exercise in areas of cleared scrub. This will involve burning up any off cuts and stumps so that the areas are then clear to mechanically flail in the summer months. | To be confirmed |
| SUNDAY 24th - MONDAY 25th Jun | Wimpole Estate: Helping with the Wimpole scythe and rural skills weekend, as we did last year. | Clyde S. |
| SUNDAY 1st Jul | Oxburgh Hall: Clearing vegetation from the sides of the moat. Possibly also cutting back snowberry with loppers in My Lady's Wood. | Clyde S. |
| SUNDAY 15th Jul | Wimpole Gardens: Task to be decided. | Val W. |
| FRIDAY 20th - SUNDAY 22nd Jul | Working weekend away at Orford Ness. Work still to be decided. (Don’t forget the weekend booking form!) | Tony H. |
| SATURDAY 28th Jul | Social event: An evening walk near Waterbeach, ending up at a pub. | Tom H. or Lorraine R. |
| SATURDAY 4th Aug | Social event: A tools cleaning session, plus food of some sort. | Pete J. |
| SUNDAY 12th Aug | Anglesey Abbey: Preparing materials for bird and owl nest box making, ready for an 'assembling' session with families a few weeks later. | Vicky N. |
| SUNDAY 19th Aug | Wimpole Farm: Task to be decided. | Alison B. |
| SUNDAY 19th Aug | Committee Meeting: Time and place to be decided. | Any committee member |
| FRIDAY 31st Aug - SUNDAY 2nd Sep | Working weekend away at Belton camping. Work still to be decided. (Don’t forget the weekend booking form!) | John (Lop) E. |
| SUNDAY 9th Sep | Hatfield Forest: Helping at the music and community Festival “WoodFest”, which runs over the weekend. Stewards are needed to assist with parking, etc. There will also be a chance to have a look around the festival at some point in the day. | Kyle V. |
| SUNDAY 16th Sep | Lyveden New Bield: Coppicing and clearing fallen trees in the Ladywood plantation. | Janet N. |
| SUNDAY 23rd Sep | Ickworth Gardens: Continuing our Laurel pruning work in the Albana Walk. | Andrew W. |
| SUNDAY 30th Sep | Anglesey Abbey: Getting in the Hoe Fen pond to dig out some deep areas for pond dipping, and keeping some of the reeds under control. | Tom H. |
| SATURDAY 6th Oct | Social event: An easy bike ride around the Cambridge southern fringes, weather permitting, perhaps followed by a take-away and Bananagrams marathon! | Barbara C. |
| SUNDAY 21st Oct | Anglesey Abbey: Task not decided yet, but likely to be boundary hedge cutting, Mill plantation thinning or Riverbank clearance... | Tom H. |
| SUNDAY 21st Oct | Annual General Meeting: Housekeeper’s Cottage, Anglesey Abbey at 4.00pm. Members welcome. | Any committee member |
| SUNDAY 4th Nov | Ickworth Gardens: Continuing our work on the Albana Walk. | Kyle V. |
| SUNDAY 11th Nov | Anglesey Abbey: Task not decided yet, but likely to be boundary hedge cutting, Mill plantation thinning or Riverbank clearance. | John (Lop) E. |
| SUNDAY 18th Nov | Committee Meeting: Time and place to be decided. | Any committee member |
| SUNDAY 18th Nov | Wimpole Gardens: Possibly mulching in the walled garden. | Alison B. |
| SUNDAY 25th Nov | Melford Hall: Planting oaks up the avenue in the park. | Clyde S. |
| SUNDAY 2nd Dec | Peckover House: Clearance work in a very overgrown garden that is being converted into a holiday let and some thinning work to young trees on the estate. | Janet N. |
| SUNDAY 9th Dec | Wimpole Hall: Helping with the Christmas events. Tasks may include car parking, roasting chestnuts and clearing tables in the restaurant. (Wimpole have Christmas events on 2nd December too. If you can help then, contact Catherine Hayburn on 01223 206006 [see the printed programme for her email address]). | Val W. |
| SATURDAY 15th Dec | Social event: Christmas get together at Sue and Paul’s house at 7.00pm. All party goers to take along food and drink. If interested contact Sue/Paul in good time and let them know of two dishes you could take and your contact details. They will then decide which dish is needed and contact you telling you which one to bring (thus ensuring a good balance of sweet/ savoury dishes). Sue and Paul will provide jacket potatoes and suitable vegetables. Dishes can be re-heated at theirs if necessary. | Sue and Paul C. |
| SUNDAY 16th Dec | Wimpole Estate: Hedge planting | Pete J. |
| 2013 | ||
| TUESDAY 1st Jan | Social Event: A relaxing New Year’s Day walk around the Wimpole Estate. A chance to blow away the cobwebs from the night before! | John (Lop) E. |
| FRIDAY 11th - SUNDAY 13th Jan | Working weekend away at Brancaster: Painting the upstairs bedrooms and main staircase in the Millenium Centre. No smelly paint just water based gloss and kitchen and bathroom paint instead of varnish. Maximum 20. (Don’t forget the weekend booking form!) | Clyde S. |
| SUNDAY 20th Jan | Melford Hall: Coppicing and thinning up in the Long Plantation. | Andrew W. |
| SUNDAY 3rd Feb | Wicken Fen: Wicken have received funding by a charitable trust to clear up areas of the Wicken Fen vision. The task will be helping the Ranger clear rubbish from areas of the fen. | Janet N. |
| SUNDAY 10th Feb | Anglesey Abbey: Possibly working along the riverbank cutting back growth along the garden side of the river. | Tom H. |
| SUNDAY 10th Feb | Committee Meeting at Anglesey Abbey | Any committee member |
| SUNDAY 17th Feb | Hatfield Forest: Cutting young scrub in several conservation areas. | Alison B. |
| SUNDAY 3rd Mar | Wimpole Gardens: Task details to be confirmed. | Kyle V. |
| SUNDAY 10th Mar | Houghton Mill: Task details to be confirmed. | John (Lop) E. |
| SUNDAY 17th Mar | Anglesey Abbey: Task details to be confirmed. | Val W. |
| SUNDAY 24th Mar | Ramsey Abbey Gatehouse: Jo is leading her first task – no details at present but likely to be the annual spring clean. | Jo H. |
| SUNDAY 7th Apr | Wimpole Estate: Taking down fencing and maybe some wood chipping. | Kyle V. |
| FRIDAY 19th - SUNDAY 21st Apr | Working weekend away at Calke Abbey: work still to be decided. (Don’t forget the weekend booking form!) | John (Lop) E. |
| SUNDAY 28th Apr | Lyveden Manor: opening up fenced off tree plantations and cutting back the grass to make them more presentable. | Tony H. |
| SUNDAY 5th May | Peckover House: tidying and clearing garden at the back of converted Georgian town house next door to Peckover House, which is to be a new holiday let. | Jo H. |
| SUNDAY 12th May | Anglesey Abbey: riverbank clearing and tidying. | Janet N. |
| SUNDAY 19th May | Melford Hall: Creating new dahlia beds on the North Lawn, turf removal and putting metal edging down. | Tom H. |
| << About our work | Back to home page |