Sarah is the Senior Volunteering & Community Officer for the West Oxfordshire area and co-ordinates information to the local groups
April/May 2024
Spring is officially the start of the visitor season for National Trust West Oxfordshire. It’s so nice to see the sun and have longer days. The wildlife across the Buscot & Coleshill Estate is also benefitting from some warmth. The blossom is bursting into life and the birds are in full song.
Coleshill recently welcomed a group of students from Crowdy’s Hill School, Swindon, volunteering as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award. A group of the students cleared the village community orchard, giving it a good tidy and making it a welcome place to enjoy. One student developed a talent for book related crafts to create beautiful displays in the bookshop. Those that have visited the bookshop will know our volunteers do a fantastic job. They have all worked hard and it has been a pleasure to help them achieve their awards.
Everyone is looking forward to the first Coleshill Village Open Day of the year on Sunday 14th April. The farm tour guides have been researching the history of Home Farm at Coleshill to add even more interesting facts into the story, the bunker has been spruced up and the project to get the mill running is under way – come and see the progress. An addition for this year’s Open Days is group walks through the parkland. Led by volunteer walk leaders, these gentle, relaxed walks will give you a chance to experience the nature around Coleshill. After the success of farm tours at last year’s Open Days, there are now bookable farm tours on Thursdays and Saturdays from April 18th in addition the Open Day tours. In other Open Day news, the mill wheel has turned for the first time in a few years. There is a project in progress that will, we hope, get the mill functional again. The next stage is clearing the leet, which is currently being held up by the high water levels.
For local history enthusiasts, we are supporting Faringdon with their guided town tours. A group of National Trust volunteers have been working with Faringdon expert, Cllr Mike Wise, to lead tours sharing the town’s fascinating history that includes a unique geology, Civil War, and tales of the eccentric, Lord Berners. Funds raised from these tours will go back into Faringdon community projects. The tours will be on the first Saturday of the month from April 6th at 10.30 and bookable on the Buscot & Coleshill Estate webpage.
At the Heritage & Rural Skills Centre, courses remain popular with more being added as others fill up. There are spaces on a 2-day woodcarving course (20th and 21st April) with Heritage Crafts Woodworker of the year (and Coleshill resident), Tom Ball. Tom is also running letter cutting courses in wood and stone during the year. These are popular courses with discounts for under 25s.
Over at Chastleton House, there are Behind the Scenes tours and Inspired by Chastleton. A chance to take your art materials or cameras to enjoy the stunning gardens to create and inspire your own art practice.
All events are bookable on the Buscot and Coleshill Estate webpage with courses bookable on the Heritage and Rural Skills Centre webpage.
For specific questions please contact buscotandcoleshill@nationaltrust.org.uk
Sarah is organising our Open Day on Tuesday 6th August, tell your friends and family and come along