Cambridge National Trust Volunteers

Diary page 22 of 24: February – October 2019 [older | newer]

Cleaning up in the Cart Shed at Wimpole Farm — 6th October 2019

There were only six volunteers at Wimpole Farm, it was forecast to rain but it fortunately didn’t. We cleaned up the Cart Shed and a neighbouring shed of loads of cobwebs. Lop spent most of the day happily jet blasting dirty floor mats.

Photo - The Cart Shed Photo - Cleaning up in the shed Photo - Jet blasting

Left: The Cart Shed; centre: Cleaning up in the shed; right: Jet blasting (Photos: Tom H.)

Painting tree guards at Wimpole — 11th August 2019

Tom writes: Val was leading the task at Wimpole Estate, which had been moved from Cobbs Wood Farm, to painting metal tree guards on the track to Cambridge Road Farm. This was located just West of Wimpole Village. There were only five of us, I guess most volunteers were on holiday, but we managed to wire bush, then paint in black hammerite, 9 of the 18 tree guards. The trick was, after wire brushing, to paint the inside and outside of half the cylindrical metal guard, then wire brush another guard. That would give enough time for the paint to dry, so that the other half of the guard could be painted without the painter getting covered in paint. A good task despite the strong wind and brief shower.

Photo - A tree guard Photo - Painting the guards Photo - Painting the guards Photo - Painting the guards

Working in the formal garden at Wimpole — 2nd June 2019

On the task there were 11 volunteers planting two types of plant in the Parterre, just behind the house. We planted red germaniums and blue salvias in separate areas.

Photo - Working in the garden Photo - Planting

Left: Working in the garden; right: Planting (Photos: Tom H.)

Photo - Completing the work Photo - A finished job

Left: Completing the work; right: A finished job (Photos: Mark T.)

Working at Houghton Mill — 17th February 2019

We performed several tasks at Houghton Mill including clearing scrub around a slipway, re-seeding a grassed area near the café, creating a hedge on the boundary of the caravan park and clearing up in the caravan park.

Photo - Clearing scrub around the slipway Photo - Clearing scrub around the slipway

Clearing scrub around the slipway (1, 2) (Photos: Tom H.)

Photo - Several different types of plant for the hedge Photo - Planting the hedge

Left: Several different types of plant for the hedge; right: Planting the hedge (Photos: Mark T.)