THE KENT COMPENDIUM REVIEW PROJECT Recruiting and keeping volunteers The Kent Gardens Trust Experience

PROJECT OUTCOMES A group of trained volunteers 28 sites researched and recorded Owners more knowledgeable Greater awareness of designed landscapes Good publicity for KGT Project set up as a pilot in Tunbridge Wells with full support of David Scully of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council

THE KENT COMPENDIUM OF PARKS AND GARDENS 62 English Heritage Registered Sites 150 Sites of local significance 150 Small Gardens 47 Municipal Parks Document compiled in 1995 for Kent parks and gardens

HOW WE FOUND OUR VOLUNTEERS 2 KGT newsletter 1 heard talk on Local Radio 3 heard about it through KCC heritage team 3 picked up leaflets at events or in library 1 personal contact 5 read article in local newspaper 1 read note in U3A newsletter

TRAINING THE VOLUNTEERS Internet Training day Visit to National Record Office at Swindon Visit to Kent Record Office Site survey training at Finchcocks historic garden Further training at Hole Park historic garden Site survey and report writing training at Marle Place Two meetings to discuss progress Tree identification day Training on inputting data onto the Parks & Gardens Database Celebration at Finchcocks

Launch Day at Bedgebury

The Cost Consultants fees and expenses £18,562 Events £ 3,961 Volunteers’ expenses £ 235 Total £22,758 Grants received £17,375

Sevenoaks Project Estimate of Cost per site Volunteer’s travel expenses £40 Copying £50 Editing the report £100 In addition the cost of two training days must be added Next step – taking project forward to do the same with Sevenoaks but entirely led by volunteers with only final edit being done by consultant to ensure reporting consistency.

Some Suggestions DO publicise the project as widely as possible cherish your volunteers link recruitment to a specific project give your volunteers something to look forward to make it fun DON’T allow too much time between recruitment and getting on with the job ask to much too early be mean over expenses

Report on the Tunbridge Wells Project http://www2.tunbridgewells.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=3148 Report on pilot and individual site dossiers for downloading