As part of National Volunteer Week, we have been showcasing many of the great characters who give their time so generously to Harewood House Trust. Here Sam Booth, volunteer gardener, tells his story.

“I have been volunteering at Harewood House Trust as a gardener since April 2016 and will sadly be leaving this June as I am moving to Australia.

During my work I have met some wonderful people, the other staff and members of the public all have made my time there a fantastic experience. I’ve even been fortunate to meet Lord Harewood, he was very friendly and it is clear how much I was appreciated by him and all the team at Harewood.

I have gained a lot of confidence, knowledge of gardening and taken many photos of all the inspirational things Harewood offers!!

I suffer from nerve pain following a head injury and memory problems, I kept a photo diary of the varied work that I’ve done and I will look back at this to remind myself of the great experiences I have had at Harewood. The team have been really supportive and made me really welcome, also understanding my condition and helping me whenever they could. I really appreciate this and it has made a positive difference to my life, I will miss them all.

I recommend volunteering at Harewood, you are really valued as a volunteer, I hope others have the same positive experiences that I have had.

Good luck to the new volunteers.”

If you’d like to find out more about volunteering, email volunteer@harewood.org