Meet... Angelo, volunteer
Angelo, one of the Beckenham Place Park Volunteers, tells us about his volunteering experience.
How long have you been volunteering at Beckenham Place Park? 4 Years
In your own words, what sorts of activities do you do during the volunteering sessions?
Coppicing; weeding; watering; planting; dead hedging and clearing paths; talking to visitors and answering their questions both regarding the park, future projects and whenever possible stating the names of the plants they enquire of. Lots of clearing up of old built up rubbish in the park and storage areas. Some pruning of plants. Maintaining the raised vegetable beds and straw bales and, when appropriate, the collection of seeds for future use.
Volunteers also participate in the preparation of events that take place in the park and mansion, such as the flower and dog shows. After the events have taken place, there is a fair amount of work required to pick up litter as well as dismantle any gazebos that were erected. We also survey the public for what they consider should be done to improve certain areas of the park.
What is your favourite thing about volunteering at BPP?
Participating in whatever is required to improve the aesthetics of the park grounds for immediate or future publics enjoyment of the park bearing in mind that, we are very lucky to have such an area on our doorstep and, that due to lack of manpower power in the past, the park was both vandalised and certain areas allowed to become dilapidated. Regrettably, now that we have an increase in the volunteer workforce, we have been prevented from making full use of our services due to Covid-19, but I am sure that this will soon change for the better.
What is your most memorable moment from volunteering at BPP?
To say that there is one particular moment would be unfair as there are many memorable moments not simply when we are all together socialising, but also when getting very sweaty and muddy and later at the end of the volunteering session, being able to look back and see what we have been able to achieve by clearing up areas, planting or any construction carried out such as hazel fences around the orchard area or dead hedging along paths.
What benefits do you get from volunteering at the park?
The benefits are many and varied and encompass physical activity with tangible results; social wellbeing in interacting with a varied group of volunteers that have diverse knowledge and abilities, not simply in gardening but also of actual building construction both in stone and wood; artistic skills in painting and use of ceramics as well as culinary, whereby such culinary skills have been put to good use in preparing dishes and chutneys made from the produce that we managed to grow.
Training opportunities are offered to volunteers too, both at Beckenham Place Park and via other training providers too. For example, I attended a course on understanding soil health, composting and wormeries at the Regents Park allotments, and have also learnt about weaving hazel fences on-site in the park.
Working outside, especially when the sun is shining, gives you a sense of wellbeing and enables you to obtain and maintain a ‘natural’ tan without having to fly abroad or visit a tanning parlour!
There is plenty of positive feedback from the visiting public who appreciate our efforts, and therefore such comments inspire the volunteers to continue to give their time freely.
What would you say to someone who was considering visiting Beckenham Place Park for the first time?
If it is a first visit and that person has not yet explored the whole park and wishes to know a bit more, I would explain a bit about the recent history of the park, who it originally belonged to, as well as the changes that have taken place to the park in the last ten years. I would invite them to explore the different areas of the park such as the ancient wooded area; the more open areas available for picnicking and, give them a better sense of the size of the park as it covers some 240 acres, with a railway line running down the centre that can be crossed by a footbridge.
What would you say to someone who was considering volunteering at the park?
That such a person would be most welcome to join. You do not need any prior knowledge of maintaining the park. Volunteering is a very rewarding activity which with time will increase your knowledge, and possibly your appreciation of the parkland. The duties are varied not just with the changes in season, but also what the whole team is hoping to achieve for the benefit of the community as a whole.
Anything else you’d like to add?
May Covid-19 disappear as soon as possible so that all of us that wish to come and volunteer can do so without having to wait for either their turn to come round again, and for new volunteers not have to wait for a slot to be available for them to participate. [NB during the covid-19 pandemic, when volunteering was permitted, numbers were limited]