How a volunteer day led to a return visit and interest in Wentworth Woodhouse

Ruth Chalkley, chartered legal executive at Minster Law, shares her recent experience volunteering at Wentworth Woodhouse.

This year I did my CSR day at Wentworth Woodhouse, with two other members of my team from the Serious Injury department.

We were tasked with helping the regular volunteers, who volunteer at Wentworth Woodhouse on a weekly basis. They were going to be demolishing some old buildings at the back of the stables, and needed to remove trees, bushes etc… to stop the wildlife from nesting there. So we helped with cutting up and removing, bushes, trees, and brambles from the area.

Wentworth Woodhouse is owned and operated by Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust and rely on volunteers to help. After volunteering and hearing how much the preservation of the house means to the regular volunteers, I went back a month later, as a paying visitor and had a look around the house and the wider gardens which were wonderful.

Going through the entrance to the stables made me feel like I was in a period drama, it was such a beautiful place to volunteer, and to revisit. At the time we were there volunteering the house itself was closed to visitors due to Netflix filming inside, what was being filmed was top secret and no one would let slip what it was no matter how many times I asked!

Minster Law allows and encourages us to do a volunteer day every year to give back to the community. Last year I helped at a COVID 19 vaccination centre which I found very rewarding and felt like I was a part of us all getting back to normal after the pandemic. It is nice to get out of the office and meet new people and feel like you are giving back to the community in some way.  I enjoyed my day and my subsequent visit and I’m sure I’ll be returning.  In the meantime, I’ll also keep an eye out for that Netflix film with Wentworth Woodhouse having a starring role!