Swerford is a tiny village with a small residential population and hence a low revenue base. It is small enough that it can be a community, whereby “everyone knows everyone” at least well enough to say “hello” to and for the actions of a few to impact upon both the community and upon the landscape. Rather than have many maintenance activities be carried out by contractors it has chosen to use the resources of the residents via “volunteering”.
Thus the Churchyard, a model of spruceness, is maintained by an ever-changing number of locals organised by a resident who has injected energy and encouragement into the activity.
The Greens and Playing Field are mown by various people using various machines.
The Village Hall grounds are being knocked into shape by another group who feel that it matters to them.
And finally the Playground equipment is kept up to a standard to satisfy the annual ROSPA approved inspection by yet another ad hoc group.
By getting involved, to some degree or other, all the residents can put a little something back into their community, in terms of a few hours of effort, and thereby enhance that element of “ownership”, of your village mattering to you.
The meetings of such groups are not to a fixed calendar but called up by the individual organisers via email and by notices on the Volunteer Events page of the website.
Most of these activities last a maximum of two hours, can well include hot/cold drinks and biscuits/cake and can be broadly catagorised as
Tidying up the Church Yard
Tidying up the Village Hall Grounds
Maintaining the Playground Equipment
Mowing the various Greens
