Be inspired by your local heritage!

Port Sunlight Village Trust celebrates the passion and dedication of its workforce for National Volunteer Week 2016

Media release
Date of Issue: 24th June 2016
RE: National Volunteer Week, 1 – 12 June 2016

From 1-12 June 2016 the staff, trustees and volunteers of Port Sunlight Village Trust could be seen out and about in Port Sunlight undertaking an external survey of the houses. The survey is a corporate priority for the Trust in 2016 and is linked to the development of a new conservation management plan to ensure the long-term survival of the village’s unique built heritage.

This diverse workforce, from Chair of Trustees to the Events Coordinator, stepped away from their day jobs and were trained in how to spot common defects in traditional buildings by the Trust’s Conservation Adviser and a team of experienced volunteers who have been working on the survey for the last eight months in all weathers.

Lizzie Heywood, Conservation Adviser for Port Sunlight Village Trust said:
“The survey is a really critical piece of work, the results of which will inform our approach to the management of the village’s built environment for the next 5-10 years. We already have a fantastic volunteer task group made up of an interesting mix of village residents and students from North West universities studying building conservation and building surveying. However, with 1,000 properties to complete by September, we were delighted to be joined by colleagues from other Trust departments.”

Laura Bennett, a resident of Port Sunlight and building survey volunteer said:
“As a new resident of Port Sunlight, I am really enjoying being part of the survey project to expand my knowledge of the village and to connect with the local community. With a degree in History of Art and Architecture, I was fascinated to access the archives in Port Sunlight Museum’s collection and to work alongside building surveyors and experts in conservation. During Volunteer Week, it was a privilege to meet the Trustees, who gave their time and expertise to the project, and members of the Trust Team all of whom assisted with great interest and enthusiasm”.

The Trust’s emerging new heritage policy and strategy will be published in early 2017. It will not only include educational initiatives for village residents to support the maintenance and repair of historic properties, but partnership work with Wirral Council, Historic England, local estates agents and solicitors, and further and higher education establishments will also be a critical feature of the Trust’s plans going forward.

Volunteer Week is a national initiative which celebrates the role volunteers play in projects of all shapes and sizes. Port Sunlight Village Trust works with 60 volunteers across all areas of its operations, from landscape gardening to customer service. If you have a passion for Port Sunlight, time on your hands, and would like to meet other like-minded people, please contact Clarinda Fidler-Griffiths, Volunteer Coordinator , on 0151 644 4803 or c.fidlergriffiths@portsunlightvillage.com to discuss volunteering opportunities at the Trust.

Notes to editors

About Port Sunlight Village Trust
Port Sunlight Village Trust is a an independent charitable trust responsible for preserving and promoting the Conservation Area of Port Sunlight, which was founded by William Hesketh Lever in 1888 for the employees of Lever Brothers Port Sunlight.

The Trust fulfils its mission through:
• Port Sunlight Museum and its associated public programmes
• Conserving and maintaining all of the village’s parks, gardens, monuments and memorials,
• Conserving, maintaining and operating the majority of the listed public buildings in the village and nearly one-third of the houses.

Media contact
Carol Darlington
T: 0151 644 4815
E: c.darlington@portsunlightvillage.com