Categories: uncategorized
Date: 13 June 2006 23:55:09
First, in case you're wondering, BTCV is the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, and I've just started doing some voluntary work with them in their project up in Penlan near Swansea.
Today was my second day with them. Now I know the whole point of work experience is to learn new skills and do things you've not done before. Well, when I got up this morning I never imagined that today I would learn how to use a cement mixer!!! I started off saying 'no, I can't do that, no idea what to do', but thankfully the project co-ordinator didn't take no for an answer. By lunchtime my fellow volunteer (who also had no idea about cement mixing!) and I were producing load after load of cement, and were able to judge the consistency of the mixture, add more sand or water if it was too wet or too dry. We got rather good at it if I do say so myself.
In contrast, the afternoon was spent sitting in the methodist church (yes, everywhere I go I end up in a church!) drinking tea and working on my ideas for the prayer garden which is also part of the project, and which it has become my job to design!
All in all a very interesting day- how many people can say they've spent a day mising cement and then designing gardens?! Next week I'm going up there to have a look at a potential Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which they've decided I can assess for them, since I've got experience of plant surveying. This is turning out to be a lot of fun :)