Shropshire and Staffordshire National Trust Volunteers

I think it’s time to send a big thank you out to all the SSNTV Workday Leaders. We’d be lost without them.

I will rewind a little for those who don’t know how the workdays operate. Several months before any particular workday our Programme Coordinator, Lisa, sends out a blank timetable to all of the NT properties that we visit. The properties then put in requests for particular dates and in theory a nice, tidy, full timetable is produced. Of course, in real life, it never works like that. I’m not sure how Lisa juggles the requests and shuffles the double booked days, but somehow (some think it alchemy), hopefully with Lisa retaining her sanity, a draft timetable is prepared. This timetable is then sent out to all our potential Workday Leaders to match Workdays to Leaders. With much to-ing and fro-ing via email, the programme can then go to press…Lisa draws a breath…then starts preparing the next Workday programme, which is prepared on a quarterly basis.

It’s over to the Workday Leaders to play their part. The first task is to contact the NT Ranger/Warden/Gardener/Property Manager, and establish the location and nature of the work, agree a meeting place and discuss tools required. Next up, the Workday Leader acts as point of contact for all those wishing to attend the workday. They pass on all relevant information including meeting time, place, and any site-specific details that may be required. What’s next? The collection of workday tools needs to be organised. Check. On the workday, assuming there hasn’t been any last minute changes (this does happen, it creates the occasional headache!), the Leader meets everyone on site. There will be a safety talk before starting work, ensuring that everyone is aware of First Aid arrangements. It all goes swimmingly from there…well, most of the time. There is rarely a dull moment as Workday Leader: checking that everyone has enough work to do, always having an eye out for safety, boosting moral on cold damp days, calling ‘cake breaks’. It’s amazing how well motivated volunteers can be when there is cake involved. At the end of the workday, the Leader checks the tools, gives everyone appropriate pats-on-backs and then goes home to drink beer prepare a list of the hours worked to send to the Hours Secretary. Job done.

And so, today I’m sending out a HUGE THANK YOU to all the SSNTV Workday Leaders and our super fabulous PROGRAMME COORDINATOR for making our workdays happen.