It may have been a cold, frosty afternoon but that didn’t stop a group of intrepid staff and student volunteers heading out and about to support the Friends of Old Durham Gardens. Based just cross the river from Maiden Castle, the historic site dates from the 17th century. Over recent years a group of Friends have come together to support the restoration of this fantastic site back to its former glory. Armed with spades, garden forks and secateurs our volunteers spent an afternoon clearing self-seeded shrubs and trees, pruning bushes and helping with a general tidy up.
One volunteer said: ” It was great to get staff and students together and to have a positive impact on these historic gardens. Despite the cold weather, we all worked hard to clear trees to prevent them causing damage to the old walls. The trustees of Old Durham Gardens that were there were really helpful and informative; we learnt about the history of the gardens, they showed us how to use the tools, and even gave us coffee and flapjack at the break! Hopefully we can have more staff-student challenges there as it’s a beautiful location to volunteer in.”
With the close proximity to the University and the eagerness of the Friends of Old Durham Gardens after this first event, we’ll be back as the weather gets warmer for more challenges. If you’d like to get involved let us know by contacting community.engagement@durham.ac.uk
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