Drivers on a volunteer scheme that allows older people in Monmouthshire and Blaenau Gwent to get out and about were treated to a tour of Tredegar House.
The Bridges Community Car Scheme regularly supports people, generally over the age of 65, around the county via a friendly, flexible, door-to-door transport service.
This helps those who need additional support or find accessing public transport challenging.
This essential aid relies on volunteer drivers using their private vehicles.
In a show of appreciation for this hard-working group, staff from the Community Car Scheme joined forces with Tredegar House to offer the drivers a tour of the historic National Trust site.
The tour of the house and gardens was presented as a gift to the volunteers, displaying the gratitude felt by both organisations towards this dedicated group.
Emily, the house manager at Tredegar House, led the group around, providing fascinating and entertaining facts while keeping the group enthralled.
The experience was followed by homemade cakes and refreshments, allowing time for everyone to mingle and chat.
After the tour, many volunteers extended their stay, exploring more of the gardens and browsing the second-hand book store and small businesses including Isca Woodcrafts and Busy Bees Patchwork.
Reflecting on the day, one volunteer driver said: "I’ve been to Tredegar House many times, but learned something new from Emily who was very engaging, and the Bara Brith was delicious."
Another volunteer articulated: "Thank you so much for organising the trip to Tredegar House I really enjoyed it."
Another driver expressed their delight at Emily's expertise: "Emily was wonderful, so engaging and knowledgeable; it was lovely to spend time with her during the refreshments too."
With gratitude for the tour, one driver added their thanks: "Just a quick word to say thank you to you all for the kind tour of Tredegar House.
"It was a lovely tour and nice to see so many drivers & partners there & catch up.
"Well done & see you soon."
The Community Car Scheme is seeking more volunteer drivers across Monmouthshire and Blaenau Gwent.
They welcome people with any amount of free time to lend a hand to the elderly community.
Interested individuals can contact them at 01600 228787.
Further information about the National Trust and Tredegar House can be found on the National Trust website.
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