“When was the last time you washed dead bugs off your car windscreen?” asks Simon Everitt, the National Trust Area Ranger for Winchelsea. “I bet it’s years!” he says, illustrating the recent decline in the insect population.
His talk about his work at Brede Village Hall on Thursday October 16 was part of an afternoon of celebration marking the 45th anniversary of the Rye and District National Trust Association.
He explained to a packed audience that the National Trust manages almost 700 acres of farmland around Winchelsea and is trying to improve its biodiversity. “We’re using fewer chemicals and working the land less intensively, whilst still maintaining a good herd of cattle.”
Simon Everitt – NT Winchelsea Ranger
The Association hosts talks and walks throughout the year and has raised over £120,000 for the Trust’s local properties since 1980. In recent years, funds have supported restoring chairs in the Barn Theatre at Smallhythe, maintaining the dog gravestones in the garden at Lamb House, and providing a chain saw and tree loppers at Winchelsea.
“It’s our way of supporting those amazing buildings,” says the Association’s vice-chair Marie Morton from Peasmarsh. “There’s a real sense of achievement in supporting the Trust’s local teams with the things they tell us they need. The small but important things.”
She read a letter from Nicola Briggs, the National Trust’s Director for London and South East, congratulating the Rye Association on this year’s anniversary. “Your support and passion has really made a difference to our work. You’ve also helped people connect with one another making friends and fantastic memories.”
“We’ve achieved such a lot,” says former chairman Marion Brunt from Brede. “I’m passionate about the preservation of old buildings and there are so many that need our help in the beautiful countryside all around Rye. We need new volunteers to help us carry on the work.”
The Association has a full schedule of outings, talks, theatre trips and quiz nights. The popular countryside walks also include a stop at a pub for lunch.
You can find more about the Rye and District National Trust Association by emailing membershipryenationaltrust@gmail.com. You don’t need to be a NT member or volunteer and the annual cost is £10.
Image Credits: James Stewart .