Chiswick House & Gardens Trust is marking Volunteers’ Week with a special early morning gardening session for volunteers, and a presentation in the cafe celebrating volunteering across the historic site.

The Rise & Shine session at Chiswick House & Gardens on Tuesday 2 June, 7.30 to 8.30am offers a calm, rewarding start to the day. With no regular commitment or prior experience needed, volunteers can join in a relaxed hour of light gardening, to enjoy some fresh air, birdsong, and a chance to reset before the day begins.

During Volunteers’ Week, visitors to the cafe – run by Colicci – will be able to see a presentation celebrating the contribution made by volunteers across the House and Gardens. Last year (2025-26) 180 active volunteers contributed 13,148 hours to Chiswick House & Gardens, including:

• welcoming and supporting 4,000 community participants, 800 schoolchildren and leading 32 tours of the House & Gardens. 
• raising almost £22,000 through a volunteer-run Dog Show
• harvesting 1,568kg of fruit & vegetables from the Kitchen Gardens, which were donated to local communities
• planting 30 trees, more than 800 shrubs and plants, and a whopping 34,000 bulbs!

The Trust also hosts volunteer away-days for corporates. On 6 May, it welcomed its biggest group to date comprising 98 employees from Starbucks who contributed to a number of tasks, from cleaning some of the heritage stone to supporting with essential gardening. The Trust has also hosted teams from British Airways, QVC and Charlotte Tilbury. 

Xanthe Arvanitakis, Director of Chiswick House & Gardens Trust, says: ‘Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who gave their time, skills and dedication last year – and continue to do so. We could not do it without their passion and commitment to caring for the House & Gardens, and welcoming and supporting our visitors every single day.’