One of my aspirations after I took early retirement was to become a volunteer in the Visitor Reception Area at Attingham Park. I regularly checked volunteer opportunities at Attingham but the result was always ‘no volunteering opportunities currently available’.
Then we had Covid-19 interrupting normality leading me to stop checking for volunteering opportunities.
In early January this year it was a pleasant surprise to see a Facebook post from Attingham Park seeking for volunteers. I signed up immediately and was given the opportunity for a taster session which was today. I am now signed up to volunteer and my first day is coming soon.
I am a little bit excited 
After the volunteer taster session there was time for me to explore the snowdrop walk and the walled garden. I enjoyed my walk; the snowdrops are stunning. The light level was low so my photos do not do justice to the spectacle.
Our snowdrop meadow needs volonteers, too.
Enjoy those day, CherryPie. I am happy for you.
Thank you
and here’s the missing ’s’.
Any idea what your duties will be, Cherie? Gardening?i
I have signed up Visitor Reception. Meeting and greeting people as they arrive and helping those who haven’t visited before.
There are volunteer gardeners.
The snowdrops look wonderful. That’s not a bad greenhouse ether!
It is a lovely green house. There are three of them but the other pair are in need of renovation which is one of the current projects at Attingham Park.
What a lovely place to volunteer! I hope you have many a wonderful day there. I bet it will explode with colour (and sunshine) in the coming weeks
I will have plenty of time after my volunteer shift to have tea and cake in the cafe and a walk around the parklands.
A lovely place to be a volunteer – do you know exactly what you will be doing? The snowdrops look wonderful.
I have chosen Visitor reception but it is possible to add other volunteer duties one of which is working in the second hand book shop.
I expected retirement to be a very busy time inspecting galleries, travelling interstate and more locally, writing the blog, meeting with Ladies Who Lunch and taking the grandchildren out. But no, that didn’t happen.
So volunteering sounds excellent – both for you and for the agency you will be working with.
I had plans but helping others got in the way. Then we had Covid and its on off restrictions for two years.
It was only last year that I was able to start thinking of volunteering. I was prompted by an article in my local newspaper to join the ‘School Readers’ scheme. That took several months to get started; checking my suitability, chatting to the school sponsor, the school summer holiday and an advanced CRB check.
Then just a few weeks ago I saw the ‘opportunity’ to volunteer at Attingham Park. I was so excited that the opportunity was at long last available.
I think looking for volunteering opportunites that interest you will help fill your time. Something fun and rewarding for you.
So lovely to see the snowdrops.
It looks a very nice place to be a volunteer.
All the best Jan
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Thank you
The snowdrops are lovely and so is Attingham Park.
And now you can show us the secret door of the house.
We’d love a behind -the-scene private tour please.
I will be focusing on the grounds. Maybe I can find a secret walk
Oh, Cherie, that’s wonderful! I know how much you love that park
I hope you’ve been able to do it with all the goings on with a loved one’s health issues that you mentioned in later posts?
Ditto on what others have said about the snowdrops, they make the area look magical. Great shot of them.
When I think of England, this is the kind of thing I actually think of – not double-decker buses and Buckingham Palace and red phone booths, but a magical-looking wood with snowdrops, looking as though fairies will arrive at any moment
(And castles and ancient pubs and inns, of course lol
I made sure with alternative arrangements that I could attend my first volunteering session.
My day didn’t run as smoothly as it should have done but I think that is a subject for another post
All is good and I have booked my next volunteering slot for next week. I am still very excited about this opportunity