Volunteer

Making new friends, working in amazing places and knowing that you're helping a great cause - three fabulous reasons to get volunteering

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Exploring under the floorboards at Knole, Kent

Volunteers discover a message in a bottle 

Our volunteers play a vital role in all of the work we do. In this blog, Knole archaeology volunteers Brenda Jarvis and Veronica Walker-Smith share a discovery made in the attics, and their research on a message from the past and its maker.

Find out what was under the floorboards
" We've had the most exceptional year, and I want to say a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of the volunteers in whatever way you’ve contributed this year. Our volunteers are important to us every minute of every day with the amazing contributions they make to the work we do every day."

How volunteers help

Cleaning statues at Hughenden

Conservation cleaning at our places 

Once the covers are off the hard work begins, which means it’s time to start cleaning the historic statuary in gardens and parkland at places like Hughenden, Waddesdon, Cliveden and Basildon Park.

The remnants of a picnic from the 1980s found at Formby

Beach cleans reveal unusual rubbish 

Unusual finds have been discovered on the beach cleans you help us with. Some of the objects are decades old, including a ‘Claws’ crisp packet from 1976 and a bottle of rum from post-Prohibition America, both found at Formby, Liverpool. Though weird and wonderful, they show how serious the conservation challenge is for our waters and coastlines.

Conservation volunteers cleaning ceramics at Dudmaston

How volunteers help us care for our collections 

With over one million collection items to look after at over 200 historic places, we have our work cut out. We wouldn’t be able to do it without our dedicated volunteers. We're highlighting our conservation volunteers and sharing their stories, favourite objects and conservation tips.

Discover more
More about volunteering
Guided tour in the chapel of St Cuthbert's at Farne Islands, Northumberland

Meet our volunteers 

Get to know the volunteers that give up their time to care for our places in this round-up of our volunteer articles and profiles.

Read their stories
Volunteers helping to weed the Walled Garden at Wimpole, Cambridgeshire

Volunteering FAQs 

Want to get involved? To help you find the right volunteering opportunity, we've answered many of our most frequently asked questions from our would-be volunteers here.

Find out more about volunteering
Thank you

We couldn't do it without you

Thank you to all our volunteers who give their time to support the National Trust in many different roles.