and I was Project Officer for the Adult Community Learning Service training project at TCV Hollybush from 2012 to 2018. I started as a Volunteer Officer 18 months before I became a PO. I was a Ray Mears fan and I remember going to ‘work’ in walking boots and thinking, ‘yeah!’ I remember my first Practical Team task was clearing cat-tails (typha sp) at Rodley Nature Reserve. You can eat these – ‘Yeah!’ Practical Team then was Phil Reddell, Dougie (my line-manager) and Andy Tiffany. And I remember going on a Hollybush trip to Bempton Cliffs and other RSPB reserves, John Preston telling an awful joke, eating fish and chips and counting Marsh Harriers up to 22. They were the early days.
When the ACLS project started there were just Tom and me tutors. We had a residential course too. One a term to Hardcastle Crags and Ox Close Woods. I will never forget those! John Preston was my line manager and he didn’t micro-manage me at all, far from it, he gave me loads of stuff that stretched me and left me to it. I learnt loads. I also worked way over my hours, John, but who didn’t? I remember Basic Bushcraft being Ofsteded. Week 1: inspector didn’t know we were off site so stayed at HB. Week 2: inspector couldn’t find us in the wood. Week 3: he found us and gave us a great report! Chris Ensor had dropped in for a few sessions a few weeks before; he gave me a few pointers and really upped my game.
Second year of ACLS John doubled the number of courses! Jessica Duffy, Katie Parkes (I hope I haven’t forgotten anybody?) joined us as tutors and we taught catering and green living. Admin started to grow. Now if there’s one thing special about TCV Hollybush it is the range of people you meet. I worked with people who I would never work with and I was managing them! I’ll name just two: Peter Larner and Donovan Parker. I learned so much from these two brilliant people. Third year ACLS expanded again and I became more and more just the admin. I remember Damion who had loved all the woodland courses and wanted to be a VO. He had problems. He ‘ate’ only caffeine drinks, didn’t sleep and took a cocktail of medications. He slept and ate properly in the woods though when I took him with another volunteer. He died (his system couldn’t take it) at his computer one night. Possibly the best thing about Hollybush I remember is the mini-bus of volunteers, some in their best, some in TCV clothing, some in jeans, and all there out of respect for the person they knew, Damion, at his funeral up North. And this wasn’t the first time HB paid its respects for a VO, there was Mark a couple of years before. Two mini-buses went to his funeral in Liverpool.
Okay that’s twice what I was supposed to write, and I’m going to stop there. Hollybush is unique in my experience. It blends conservation and social work. The people who work for it are just out of this world, compassionate, capable, idealistic, wonderful people. 40 years old? A tribute to the building, to the volunteers, the staff and the leaders who have been responsible for it. Long Live TCV Hollybush!!!
Written by Eric Yaffey