Castle's thank you to its volunteers

More than 40 past and present volunteers, all members of the Arun and Walberton Decorative and Fine Arts Societies, were guests of the Duchess of Norfolk at a celebratory lunch yesterday to thank them for their conservation work at medieval Arundel Castle.

The two societies, part of the National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies (NADFAS), first offered their services to the Norfolk family 25 years ago. Since then, groups of volunteers have turned up every week to work in the castle’s great library and archives.

Their tasks have included dusting and polishing books, and cleaning the priceless manuscripts, architectural plans, estate papers and ledgers which record hundreds of years of national events and domestic life at the castle.

The societies currently provide 16 volunteers, who work in groups of four and visit the castle one day each week. Working at the castle is so popular that the societies have a waiting list of volunteers.

The Duchess of Norfolk said: “A quarter of a century of continuous volunteering at the Castle has been a tremendous achievement by the societies.

“The volunteers have always made an invaluable contribution to the ongoing task of preserving our historic records and we are extremely grateful to them for their enthusiasm and dedication.”