Volunteers are an important part of the workforce preserving the Ashridge Estate and helping the public enjoy and understand more from their visits.

When the Dukes of Bridgewater managed the property they had the benefit of some 300 staff  to look after the Estate, although visitors were probably not encouraged and certainly did not have shops or mobility vehicles etc provided for them!

The National Trust, despite modern equipment, could never provide staff to match that effort and volunteers can make a big difference to the upkeep of the property.

Volunteers come from all walks of life and some have specialist skills, which can be very useful to us. We run a fleet of mobility vehicles for less able visitors but could not do this without the engineers in that team who maintain the battery driven cars.

However volunteers of all kinds find that a few hours in good company, in a beautiful location, are an enjoyable antidote to the stresses of modern life.

The areas in which volunteers currently operate are shown below. Each has a group leader to provide co-ordination and liase with staff members and each can be contacted through the website. For any particular activity further information is given by clicking on the title. Should there be other activities which interest you please do not be afraid to raise them: we are aware, for instance, that much more ought to be done by way of systematic recording of the flora and fauna on the Estate.

Pitstone Windmill
Thursday & Sunday Estate Conservation
Litter Pickers
Personal Mobility Vehicles
Educational
National Trust Shop