Volunteering
We had a lot of volunteers working hands-on on the Footprint, on work parties and the cob brick "manufacture", helping with the straw loading and trimming and other work site bits and pieces. All the painting was undertaken by volunteers as was a lot of the clay plastering (including a few hours in the dark, cramped nose end of the building by the National Trust's Director, Fiona Reynolds).
Others helped out with administration, catering, education work and documentation; including filming, photography and even this website. Over 120 different people had a go at cob brick making alone, with another 60 plus helping out elsewhere. We estimate that over 450 volunteer labour days were put in on construction, with another 230 volunteer days on other aspects of the project. One way or another that's nearly 700 volunteer days given to the Footprint Project during its construction. That's quite amazing.
The need to move a course at the last minute towards the end of May meant there was no time to properly readvertise the dates and get the person power needed to complete the lower level straw wall construction. The National Trust region agreed to allow any member of staff to volunteer a day of their working week to get hands-on on the construction. Under the careful management and demonstration of Amazon Nails the work got done and over 60 members of staff got involved.
Throughout the whole year The Project Team were, and are to this day, completely blown away by the enthusiasm, hard work, positive responses and evident enjoyment of those who pitched in. It was a fine, rewarding experience for all of us involved.
