I am still computer less but there has been some progress and it seems I have not lost several pages of my novel or the last 5 years of photographs! Good news indeed, but it does mean once again I am coming to you from my 'infinitely smarter than me' smart phone ;)
Strong thumbs.
So, this week at Packwood we were blessed with some sunny weather and expected the madding crowds to appear...what we weren't expecting was for a loose dog to come hurtling in through the main doors of the house and go off in search of its owner?! Quick thinking (and even quicker acting!) Judith, a long standing volunteer saved the day and without a thought for her own personal safety grabbed hold of the dogs collar as it shot past her. Fortunately suffering nothing more than acute separation anxiety (and a healthy dose of cheekyness - that's the dog, not Judith...obviously) once reunited with their (slightly embarrassed) owner all was well. I assume he spent the rest of the day brushing up on his knot tying skills to avoid any future 'mishaps'.
Who knew volunteering could be so full of action and drama!
I was on the door for my first stint. It's a great gig (particularly if the weather is lovely) as you get to welcome guests to the lovely house.
Where as visitor engagement in the other rooms is quite a relaxed affair, with the opportunity to chat about specific pieces or the people who lived in the house; often if/when a visitor wants to talk to you (we don't actually pounce on you and give you thousands of facts!) The 'door' role is far more operational.
I thought it might be good opportunity to talk 'Timed Tickets'.
Now obviously you will be greeted with a big smile, we are genuinely pleased to see you and enthusiastic about showing you the house we love so much!
You will then be asked for your timed ticket:
Timed Tickets
At Packwood we are currently trailing a timed ticket policy, bringing us in line with many other National Trust properties.
What this means is when you visit Packwood if you want to go round the house you will need a timed ticket. These are collected from visitor reception (in our case; next to the cafe, where you come in from the car park) you don't pay extra for a ticket they are part of your entrance fee or membership.
The ticket has a time on it, currently you can enter the house any time after that time and before 4:30.
Why?
The answer is conservation of the property. Since our fantastic new cafe facilities alongside even more things to see and do, like our amazing 'Packwood Follies' we have been getting increased visitor numbers. This is great news, we want you to keep coming! Alongside this however we have a responsibility to protect and maintain the property. Having a timed ticket system allows us to control how many people are in the property at any one time. It also means we only have enough tickets for the maximum daily capacity for the house (worked out by conservation manager mathematicians?! Of some description)
Flexibility
Our job is to balance conservation with you having a brilliant visitor experience. We do ask that everyone who wants to come into the house has a ticket, if for some genuine reason your time is later than you can possibly stay, you've travelled a long way and won't be returning soon or you have some other extenuating circumstance, talk to us. If we can, in good concience (from a conservation stand point - basically if it's very unlikely the house will exceed daily capacity) let you come in early we will do our best to accommodate your situation.
As with all new things we are tweaking the process and your patience and feedback is appreciated and acted on. We are experiencing a time of great change at Packwood, it's exciting but it's also creating some unforeseen issues that we have a responsibility to act on.
I'm hoping to bring you a further informative piece on 'behind the scenes/what to expect from your visit' so you'll understand a bit more about why we do what we do. We love our property and we love sharing it with you, hopefully if you get to see a bit more about how we do that you can get the most out of your visit.
Well that's enough from me for today and in fact for the next 2 weeks as I'm off on holiday for my birthday next weekend; so won't be at Packwood!
I was going to tell you all about the outdoor performance of Romeo & Juliet but as it sold out before I could tell you that seemed a bit mean! It's on this Saturday (14th June) and for those who've got tickets no doubt you are in for a complete treat, what a perfect setting!
Wish me luck with the weather, I'm holidaying in the UK!
Until next time Lovlies!
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