Last week, we celebrated our brilliant team of volunteers with our annual Volunteer Summer Party – a joyful afternoon complete with a delicious ‘bring and share’ meal. It was our way of showing heartfelt thanks to this unique group of people who generously give their time to make Chiswick House & Gardens a welcoming and inclusive space, open to everyone, every day.

“Volunteers are truly the heart of Chiswick House & Gardens. Their commitment breathes life into every corner of the estate, from preserving our history and maintaining the grounds, to gardening, beekeeping, welcoming visitors, and supporting our events. Without their passion and hard work, we simply couldn’t sustain the beauty, heritage, and community spirit that define this special place.

Philippa Markou, Volunteer Coordinator

Here’s a glimpse of what our volunteers have been up to this summer:

In the Kitchen Garden

This month, our Kitchen Garden volunteers have been busy harvesting fruit, vegetables, and flowers for donation partners and our garden cart sales. They’ve also been crafting plant supports for climbing squashes and dahlias, tackling weeds along paths and borders, and nurturing young vegetable plants in the summer heat. Thanks to their dedication, the Kitchen Garden is flourishing and looks as beautiful as ever.

In the House

Our knowledgeable Visitor Welcome Volunteers bring Chiswick House’s stories to life, sharing insights into the collaboration between Burlington and Kent that might otherwise be missed. Here’s some recent feedback from a visitor about Lynn, one of our outstanding guides:

Lynn’s House Tour was excellent – just the right mix of social history and design focus. Loved it!

Rangers

Our volunteer Rangers help keep the Estate in top shape and ensure the grounds are safe and welcoming all week long. This season, they’ve tackled a wide range of essential tasks: installing new benches in the Rosary, clearing weeds, maintaining statues near the House, and drag matting the forecourt to keep the gravel even and tidy.

Beekepers

July signals the winding down of summer for our bees. The nectar flow has slowed, and preparations for winter have begun. It’s been a successful season thanks to the dry, warm weather. Our beekeeping volunteers have harvested and jarred much of this year’s honey, now available in the café. We’re also thrilled to welcome several new volunteers to the Apiary, and we’re especially proud of John, a mentee who has just been awarded a distinction in his Basic Certificate from the British Beekeeping Association.

Photography

A big thank you to our talented volunteer photographer Chris Frost, who continues to capture the beauty of our gardens and behind-the-scenes moments. This month, he joined us to take a few shots of our Visitor Welcome and Tour Guide volunteers.

Corporate Volunteers

In July, we were delighted to welcome a team from Charlotte Tilbury for a morning of gardening. They shared this lovely feedback:

The team were able to spend some time out in nature, decompress and take them away from their day to day jobs. They were able to de-stress and spend time with people they don’t normally work with so it was massively beneficial for everyone!