What do you do in your spare time ?

How many of us consider volunteering I wonder? Time to give a little back and still enjoy the delights of our pastime? Would you do it, if not why not?

Eleven years later…… 😃

It’s never too late to volunteer and offer your services to charity or another organisation. A friend of ours volunteered at the London Olympics and said it really was a life time experience, they also volunteer regularly for their local National Trust property as a ‘gardener’.

The NationalTrust is well provided for but I have a couple of steep, rocky, well wooded acres - volunteers are always welcome, but scarce.

I did 13 years as a House Steward (occasionally) but mainly a gardener for English Heritage at Brodsworth Hall. Combined my love of history and gardening, absolutely loved it. Staff and other volunteers were great, we were taken on lots of free trips to other properties, got lots of free plants, shared a lot of fun. EH looked after us very well, with a nice uniform, safety equipment, lots of tea and coffee, a lovely Christmas Dinner, and free entry into any EH property for me and OH. I learned such a lot, and thoroughly enjoyed helping public enjoy the wonderful gardens at Brodsworth. Only finished because I had to care for my parents. 

Volunteering isn’t like work as far as I am concerned. I always felt I got far more back than I could often give. It might be something I go back to once I get the chance, but rather fancy helping on a heritage railway second time around.

Years ago I volunteered to be special constable looking back I'm amazed at what I was expected to do but loved it ie taking part in high speed car chases I take my hat of to those pursuit drivers, creeping through a cemetery in the early hours trying to catch a peeping tom, jostling with photographers when Princess Diana arrived to open our local hospital and chatting to Michael Parkinson when he came to watch his team Barnsley play our local team. Things area bit more sedate I now I show new members of our ham radio club how to operate the equipment 

We sometime do a stint of litter picking along our coast. I’m often amazed and frequently disgusted at what folk just chuck! Took our grandson along recently, he now point to any litter he sees and proclaims, ‘that annoys me!’ He will, when safe and able pick it up and place it in a near bye bin of his own volition.👍

I am not a fan of large charities with CEO’s raking it in so our charity work has been within our community, Scout Group and our local church

I’d forgotten about being on Committee for our British Horse Society area! We met up once a month to set up local events, help with Bridleways, keep an eye out regarding Equine Welfare. I helped set up some great events, we had Michael Lassiter come and do dressage, Ian Stark brought Sir Wattie and Murphy Himself, and all his medals. David Broome was really good, and I helped on the BHS stand at numerous events. Bramham Horse Trials, Chatsworth Game Fair, etc….. free entry to these events.