November in the UK – time for cosy blankets, hot toddies and generally trying to keep warm. It’s not usually the time of year you’re volunteering to head outside and get wet and muddy, especially when your day job is as an accountant/business advisor. But that’s exactly what the team from PKF Francis Clarke did for Children’s Sailing Trust on Tuesday 22nd November 2022. And the weather didn’t hold back, with occasional downpours just to keep everyone on their toes and make things that little bit more difficult. But no matter for these intrepid volunteers, who wiped their brows and worked hard to get the jobs done.
CST HQ at Trevassack Lake has been open for a year now, so it was due some annual maintenance after a busy season becoming a community hub for locals and tourists alike. The holiday accommodation had taken a particular battering, requiring a vigorous sugar-soaping and new paint jobs throughout – the first two volunteers on site got to choose their tasks for the day so quickly opted for the interior painting. They may have been safe from the weather but they made up for it in effort, and Calcite Cabin has been restored to its former glory as a result.
One half of our site warden couple, Elle, said;
“The girls worked so hard with hardly a break – they chose to keep painting through lunch and did a marvellous job, we’re very pleased with the results. They did joke, though, that the two shortest volunteers got the highest job!”
The rest of the team of 7 were allocated landscape maintenance duties. Unfortunately (or fortunately for them!), our anticipated donation of a tonne of topsoil couldn’t be delivered due to the weather, so instead of shovelling soil, they tackled the flower beds and pathways, with a mound of weeding making use of our new compost facility. They worked solidly from 9am to 4pm, with the occasional duck into the office for coffee and cakes when the rain got a little too heavy.
They worked under the direction of CST’s VIP ex-trustee, Charles Richardson (who brought with, and ended up donating, a lot of gardening tools for the site – thanks Charles!) and the other half of our site warden team, Paul;
“It was such a bonus having them here to do all that all day. As much as I try, I can’t do it all on my own and they all volunteered to come back again when they have the opportunity! I’d welcome them back with open arms – they have a great work ethic and all pitched in without complaint. Elle and I have been worked off our feet since starting our roles here at Trevassack (in a good way!) so it was wonderful to have the extra hands to make light work of these bigger jobs.”
And so, at the end of a cold and (very) wet November day, Trevassack is looking an awful lot tidier for future visitors thanks to the team at Francis Clarke – we’ll give you a call when the topsoil arrives, yes?
PFK Francis Clarke have been helping businesses, entrepreneurs, families and individuals to achieve their goals for over 100 years. Tom Roach is a partner in the Truro office of PKF Francis Clark with expertise in the tourism and leisure industries and CST were lucky enough to have him on our board of Trustees for many years. Thank you Tom for your help over the years and for bringing the team to the lake for the day!
