To think this national trust chap should volunteer somewhere else?

[NigellaTheUndomesticGoddess]

i was only telling my DDs that there would have been oranges grown in the orangery and picked up a plastic orange in the kitchen to illustrate my point.
he told me off for touching .
not as if it was one of the priceless objects from upstairs.
bloody jobsworth. why was he guarding the plastic fruit anyway?
the other guides were lovely and lots talked to the DDs about the house.

Message withdrawn

Jobsworth! Honestly, some of them are just bossy people with nobody at home to boss. Others are lovely. Like the ones who told the children spooky stories at Ightam Mote (which I know I have spelled incorrectly - sorry)

at Culzean Castle they have a Lego man hidden in every room for children to find. If you can't find it, you can ask the attendant. My stepfather (who is rather tall) found all the Lego men, and moved them to a different location in each room!

Some of those NT volunteers... A few are under the impression they live in the property: "Welcome to our house." Eh? Your house? I think not.

I was actually moved to write a letter of complaint about a volunteer at Uppark in Sussex. She accused ds of being 5, and bellowed in front of lots of other visitors that we were trying to avoid paying for him. This might have been excusable if was indeed over five. But he was TWO years old, and was, and still is, small for his age.

I know these people are volunteers, but they really should weed out the miserable old jumped-up buggers.

(I must add that we've met loads of nice people at NT properties, too.)

No he sounds like he fits in the NT pretty well. Their volunteer profile is like the mental health needs wing of the Tory party.

Its unfortunate but most volunteers tend to be older as they are time rich. I volunteer with a charity and we would love younger people to join us but they either dont seem to have the time, cant afford it or simply would rather spend their time doing other things.

Have met a few grumpy National Trust volunteers.

They glare at the children, then charge you £40 for a cup of weak tea.

And if you're really naughty, they make you wear Victorian period costumes.

One accused me of deliberately stepping in a puddle of water so I could tramp it through her conservatory. Yes, because as a museum curator that is naturally the kind of thing I would do. And my shoes weren't even damp.

I used to have to manage a lot of volunteers and an awful lot of them were grossly unsuitable for a myriad of reasons, but when an organisation is desperate they have to take what is offered. I for one never want to work with volunteers again for the whole rest of my life

and of course as a NT member - the house belongs to me anyway so may take up residence.

PMSL at mental health wing of Tories!

I live near Culzean, Tissy. Tis smashing.

NT voluntary staff are a bit odd at times. The regular staff regard them with pity and bemusement. We call the NT 'toff aid' and think it is amusing that it is a 'charity'. Doesn't stop us being members though...

Oh, I am really suprised - we have been to loads of NT propoerties and I am always (infact boringly really always) saying to hubby how lovely the volunteers are - most especially the ones that are on the gate / ticket counter.

I have been told off for touching something before though - I guess it's just easier to tell people off for touching ANYTHING rather than some things are OK and some aren't.

As for the £40 for a cup of tea thing - well, if we have been away camping somewhere in our van and happen to be passing an NT property on our way home, we will often stop in for tea and, what has to be said, some of the best cake you can get!!

And yes, I am aware that I sound like some nutty old biddy - and that scares me - I'm only 33!!

yes - I too have turned into my mother - NT membership and a family railcard - no cool left.

and it was only a plastic orange - not priceless sevres vases or somehting!

oo, a family railcard - is that the next stop on the slippery slope? Something to look forward to I suppose - we all need something

A friend of mine is the manager of a National trust property and has some brilliant stories about deranged volunteers: she used to write a magnificent blog about it.

"the best cake" ??????
I have it straight from tea shop manager of NT that all the cakes/scones are made start of the summer season and deep frozen in industrial freezers until needed....boak.....

I did work experience at a NT property as a student, for 6 whole weeks, 2 weeks of which were spent as a 'volunteer' in the rooms. It has changed me irrevocably. It was totally spooky (people, not the 16th century rooms!) and very worrying! (this was the early 90s though, it might be different now. Although I doubt it......) I was a nervous wreck at the end of the experience. And my voice had changed!

As other have said - thank your lucky stars you don't have to work with volunteers. And remember if volunteers get told of they go to flouncers corner and never come back - if your lucky

The cake does vary from property to property, as does the food in general, but some of it is really lovely - so maybe I don't care if it has been frozen

The best yet - Little Moreton Hall near Congleton - not only a fantastic property with a brilliant guided tour, but the food is amazing!

I think the NT is over rated and over priced, and most of their staff have the social skills of dead fish.... but don't tell DP I said that as his whole family are lifetime members and his uncle brought a wood and hes willed it to the NT when he dies

That's the National Trust for you, ime. A nurse friend of mine recently performed the Heimlech(sp) manoevere(sp) on an NT cafe worker who was choking on her own cake. She sorted the woman out and then the cafe proceeded to charge my friend full price for her coffee and cake!!

Now, the National Trust for Scotland is a different kettle of fish altogether, very friendly and none of that Do Not Touch nonsense. They even let you walk on the carpets.

It was NT for Scotland that did the frozen home baking....

perhaps she was choking on an icy bit?

Massively PMSL at mental image of cafe worker choking on NT-issue cake. Is that wrong?