Suffolk National Trust Volunteers (SNTV) are celebrating their silver jubilee. The group has given 2,000 hours per year to National Trust properties across Suffolk for a quarter of a century. That’s an impressive total of 50,000 hours contributed to the Trust’s workforce.
The Suffolk skies captured by John Constable overly a gently rolling countryside punctuated by attractive villages. This countryside, some of it owned and cared for by The National Trust, has to be tended to keep it as our visitors would like to see it.
SNTV contributes invaluable help to the tourist hotspots in Constable Country, the ecologically significant lowland heaths of Dunwich and Pin Mill and the wide haunting spaces of Orford Ness. Whether cleaning and decorating, repairing a sluice, gorse clearance, cutting joints in green oak or parking duties, members of SNTV are happy to get stuck in.
Dick Chequer, Treasurer of SNTV, said:
'Formed by a group of like-minded people at a time before being a conservationist was fashionable, we now a have a core of members from all walks of life, and a broad spectrum of ages. As well as our fortnightly visits to the 'Green Gym', we also supply volunteer wardens to two open space properties and those of us who have the time occasionally go out with the Wardens during the week.
'It’s not all mud, sweat and toil though, we have regular socials – pub evenings, golf range, ten pin bowling, a Christmas weekend, an end of year sausage sizzle and one-offs to mark special occasions. We have just celebrated our 25th birthday party at Thorington Hall and look forward to another 25 years tending the Suffolk countryside.'
If you have time to spare and want to help The National Trust, why not join a NTV group? If you live in Suffolk, SNTV would love to hear from you!
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