Friends of Gorse Hall Need Your Help - Volunteers Wanted!

The Friends of Gorse Hall in Stalybridge are appealing for new volunteers to help maintain and preserve the beautiful 35-acre site.

Alan Pickles, Chair of the group, currently manages the grounds with just three dedicated volunteers, but the team is in need of extra hands to assist with a variety of essential tasks. These include cutting back branches and overgrown vegetation, removing small trees, repairing historic dry stone walls, and general maintenance around the site.

On a visit to the site last week, the team was busy reconstructing one of the original dry stone walls. Alan explained,

“We’re creating a feature wall following the width of the original coach road. In a few places along it, we’ve widened it back out to show how broad it would have been when John Leech lived here.”

The Leech family are descendants of the Leech’s of Chatsworth in Derbyshire. In the 17th century, some family members settled in the Stalybridge and Dukinfield area as yeoman farmers. Back then, in 1748, the hamlet of Stalybridge had a population of only 120.

Alan and the team are passionate about preserving the original features so visitors can step back in time and imagine how it once was. Regular volunteers include Sean and Alan, who have been giving their time for the past couple of years.

Alan, who’s lived locally for nearly five decades, recalls how he got involved:

“One day I walked up to Gorse Hall, and thought, ‘Blimey, what a place!’ I knew they were looking for volunteers, so I joined in and now I’m part of the core team!”

Sean adds,

“At this time of year, it’s constant work, cutting back brambles, widening footpaths, cutting grass and making sure not to disturb wildflowers. But it’s fun, and you learn so much about nature!”

Alan reminds us how vital community support is:

“If we want to keep the site open for visitors and the general public, we need more volunteers. We used to have up to 15 people helping and you can achieve a lot with a team like that.”

The group meets every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 9:30am until early afternoon, depending on availability.

They’re also seeking someone to help manage their Facebook page, to keep the wider community informed and inspired by the work being done at Gorse Hall.

Interested?

If you’d like to lend a hand, get in touch with Alan on 0779 000 6345 or send a message via their Facebook page:
👉 facebook.com/GorseHallTameside

Come along, make a difference, and discover the hidden natural beauty right on your doorstep!