Volunteer at Chiswick House & Gardens to Mark the Coronation
The Big Help Out is a day for you to get involved
Spring cleaning the House is one option on the day. Picture: Chiswick House & Gardens Trust/ Conor Bakhuizen
April 15, 2023
The Big Help Out is taking place on Monday 8 May at Chiswick House & Gardens.
The Trust that runs the estate is one of thousands of organisations across the UK offering volunteering opportunities as part of the celebrations for the coronation.
The objective of The Big Help Out is to raise awareness of volunteering and provide opportunities for people to make a difference in their local community.
There are already 180 people volunteering at Chiswick House and they provide invaluable backing in addition to that provided by funders, Members and Patrons. There will be a range of volunteering activities offered at Chiswick House on the day to give more people a chance to get involved.
You can join the gardening team for a couple of hours, working to re-introduce biodiversity to woodland areas by weeding invasive species and developing habitat areas as well as re-locating woody material, adding to habitat piles and clearing open ground. This takes place between 10.30am and 12.30am and is open to anyone aged 17 or over or children over 12 accompanied by a parent or guardian. To join come to the Park Road Gate.
If you prefer you can help spring clean the Grade-I listed Neo-Palladian villa. Choose between gently dusting the interior using conservator-approved brushes and cloths or cleaning the stonework on the front and back exterior stairways. Come to the house at 11am for an hour and a half’s cleaning. This is open to anyone aged 17 or over or children over 12 accompanied by a parent or guardian.
You can join the Trust's gardening team on the day. Picture: Chiswick House & Gardens Trust/ Chris Greer
From noon there will be a Family Gardening Challenge in which you can bring the whole family to join a ‘Speed Weeding’ event. This starts at noon and continues until 12.30pm. Meet at the Park Road Gate. All ages are welcome at this event.
Participation is free but volunteers are required to register in advance.
After their hard work, Big Help volunteers are welcome to spend the day enjoying the free Gardens. The Café will be open all day and at 1pm, the Chiswick House Dog Show Doggie Dash will be taking place on the Western Lawn. The Kitchen Garden will also be open 11am-4pm with free entry for Members.
Kitchen Garden volunteers. Picture: Chiswick House & Gardens Trust/ Sasha Gorb
Rosie Fyles, Head of Gardens at Chiswick House & Gardens Trust, said, “Volunteering is a brilliant way to get out and about, meet like-minded people and contribute to making your local neighbourhood a bit better. I started out as a volunteer and my experience of volunteering was life changing. We can’t promise that on 8 May, but we can promise fresh air, good conversation and feeling like you’ve helped and achieved something.”
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