A Warm Welcome

Hare Hill Sentry Box

It started as a tiny hut at the entrance to the car park, which only one person could stand up in. It was known as "The Sentry Box".

And for the last decade we've been greeting visitors from a slightly bigger kiosk near the garden entrance. The welcome was always warm, but there was no electricity, plumbing or internet connection.  Increasingly visitors expect to pay with a credit or debit card, and we could only take cash. 

Long standing volunteer Brian outside the old kiosk
Our steward Brian provides a friendly welcome to Hare Hill
Long standing volunteer Brian outside the old kiosk

Our volunteers are now working a brand-new, state of the art Visitor Welcome building.  We can now take card payments, and check membership details online. There's a shop selling a range of National Trust merchandise. And for anyone who wants to join, we can offer a comfy seat inside while we fill in the forms!

The new Visitor Centre at Hare Hill
Hare Hill visitor Centre open
The new Visitor Centre at Hare Hill

All this means we need more Garden Steward volunteers to help us run the Centre, and give our visitors the welcome they deserve. If you like meeting and chatting to people of all ages, this is the job for you. We'll provide all the training and support you need, in exchange for a bit of your time, whenever you can give it.  Some of our volunteers have been with us for many years, and have plenty of stories to share, so why not apply now, and join us on this exciting journey?