The Accipiter - Behind the scenes August 2005

Behind the Scenes - August 2005

Jane Baugh has been working as Trust Secretary for almost eleven years, and husband David mows the lawns at the park during the summer months. Jane and David live locally and enjoy hill walking in their spare time. Jane is also involved in fundraising for the Hawk Conservancy Trust, her greatest achievement being the £1,600 she raised for our hospital in 2000 by running in the London Marathon.
Here’s what life at the park is like for her...

THE OFFICE

Jane busy totalling the day's takings

Since starting at the Hawk Conservancy in September 1994 up to the present day, the office still remains the “nerve centre” of the park.

From the early days of one Amstrad computer, one phone and me, things have greatly improved. Much needed redecoration and refurbishment has led to a more comfortable working environment, which has been extended to accommodate myself and Tracey in one office and Anya, Andy and Ashley (the ‘A’ team!) in the other. This I find very helpful as you can learn how others deal with certain enquiries, and remember it for future reference.

The office houses an up-to-date computer and phone system, with extensions in all directions! Mind you as with all computers we still have the odd hiccup.

My day starts off with cashing up and entering monies taken in the gift shop, coffee shop and entrance, ready for banking later in the week. This generally goes smoothly, but has on occasions caused a few headaches.

The rest of the time is spent dealing with telephone and mail enquiries, bookings and general information about the Trust, and even forecasting the weather! I am frequently asked “are you flying today”, which conjures up all sorts of visions.

At this time of year we are inundated with calls from members of the public having found baby birds, and wanting advice on what to do. Over the years you learn how to deal with these enquiries, but help is always on hand for that awkward one.

Jane (red jacket) learning the art of lure swinging as a guinea-pig on our first trial Conservation Activity Day

When people see a bird they do not recognise they generally assume that it has escaped from somewhere so we receive calls asking if we have lost a bird. We are always grateful for this, as on occasions this is the case. I still find identifying a bird over the phone very difficult, unless it is one of the more common ones, so these calls I pass on to a more knowledgeable source.

No two days are the same, some can be quite quiet, but on the whole we are very busy. Some days we can have all phones going at the same time.

The run up to Christmas is by far the most hectic time with the sale of gift vouchers; by the end of it you do not want to see another voucher!

We receive many letters and phone calls from Activity Day guests, visitors to the Trust and school children (including drawings) expressing what a wonderful time they had with us, this makes my job all the more enjoyable.

I am occasionally given a reprieve and let out of the office to assist in the gift shop or coffee shop, but this is short lived and its back to the phone, emails etc. etc. etc.

Many changes have taken place since becoming a Trust, but it has not lost that ‘family’ feel and remains a great place to work.

Click here for previous Behind the Scenes articles