london1952 | Entries tagged with volunteering

On Friday afternoon there was a get-together at the Garden Museum to formally introduce all the "new" staff who have come to work (paid) mainly behind-the-scenes....it's been feeling distinctly like "them and us" since the beginning of the year.... we also had some updates regarding the proposed "Phase 2" of the development of the Museum. I think most of us (volunteers) were thinking we'd get a chance to "air" a few things....... but in the event that was somewhat nicely side-stepped LOL ! - maybe for the best, or we may have ended up there all evening and with a slightly less than jolly atmosphere !

There was also an organised light-hearted "Bake Off", which apparently was my idea...... I must have said something in the past and it had been remembered ! There was a wonderful array of delicious baked goods, the overall winner was a lovely fresh raspberry Bakewell Tart, and my favourite was Beatrice's chocolate dipped honey flapjack, she'd asked for ideas for decoration and I suggested making marzipan bees........ she added fresh violets.

As for me I trialled a rose chocolate cake, which turned out ok and attracted the "show-stopper" rosette, but I found it a bit bland..... it's quite difficult to judge how much rose to include without it tasting of shower-gel !!

It was nice to catch up with some of the other volunteers, as it's only every so often many of us are in the building at the same. At the same time it seemed amazing that a month had already passed since the opening night of the latest large temporary exhibition "Floriculture" - aptly on 14th February....... the fresh rose art installation is still looking good, the (around 3,000) roses have dried now and gives it a different look, but is still a real eye-catcher, and is certainly a talking point with all visitors.....

So, a few images from the opening........

last-minute touches to the garden-inspired canapes.....

Shelia and Manjeet, the other members of the front desk crew with me on a Thursday

Sheila and Franco enjoy a floral-inspired gin-based cocktail......

...while outside, there was quite a stunning (if brief) sunset

Having been looking for a part-time job for some considerable time, it was suggested that a little volunteering would look good on my CV filling the blank space of current occupation. I'm really looking for a part-time (2-3 days) paid job, no weekends, something interesting and creative, and as stress-less as possible - tall order ? - you bet !!

Well I started volunteering one day a week with the Garden Museum near Lambeth Palace, my first day was last Thursday, and I'm back tomorrow...... It's a place I have always thought lovely, and it is very pleasant spending time there. It is rather busy at the moment, as there is a ten week event that started last week, "Treasures of Lambeth Palace Library", in the nearby Lambeth Palace.

I am working "front of house", seeing people in, answering queries and helping with the gift shop. It seems about 5% of visitors are "straight forward", the rest is filled with all manner of off-the-wall questions, chatting about everything under the sun, and dealing with the odd "strange" person - "rather distressed" was the description omeone gave me about another visitor who spoke to no-one but himself, read the print off everything, and had an argument (with himself).... and then left with one of every leaflet.

The vegetarian Cafe in the centre of the museum is very popular and is run by an outside source, and a lot of people come just for that. I had lunch last week sat in the 17th century inspired knot garden.................