Case Study: Mad Hatter's Tea Party

Project Description

The ambassador from Plymouth University hosted a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in her Students Union building in March 2010, working closely with a member of National Trust staff who supported volunteering in the region. The local National Trust property was already running an Alice in Wonderland theme during the year, which sparked the idea to create the event at the university.  The Trust was able to provide cakes in return for a small donation from students, and local staff met with students and talked about the National Trust’s local offer.

Purpose

• Developing a mutually beneficial relationship between the Student Ambassadors and the local National Trust properties;

• Raise awareness of the National Trust among the student body;

• Raise the profile of the National Trust on campus, using the National Trusts’ ‘Food Glorious Food’ campaign as an initial pull for awareness.

Results/Outcomes

What worked well

Being a bit different

The event took place on the last day of term when many students were free and able to get involved in something fun. As the tea party looked bright and attractive, with people in hats and costumes around lots of students stopped to see what was going on. Having this easily recognisable theme, furthermore in a highly prevalent place on campus, proved crucial to the success of the event. After attracting people the message was also easily relatable to the work of the Trust, as they connected to an ongoing theme of events.

Working together

National Trust staff worked in partnership with the ambassador.  A member of staff acted as the key broker within the Trust, while the ambassador publicised the event and organised the campus arrangements.

 ‘Everyone was really supportive because we had the head gardener, head catering manager, the volunteer coordinator and a woman from Anthony House and they said to me “If you want us to help you at all then let me know and we’ll make it happen”.’ Student Ambassador

Posters were put up around campus in the weeks prior to the event, however, the majority of interest was said to come from passers-by who took an interest in the theme.

Raising Awareness

The event gave the opportunity for the ambassadors and staff to talk to students in a relaxed atmosphere about the work of the Trust. By talking about the National Trust’s ownership of coastline, popular with students for surfing, it was able to be seen as a more relevant and accessible part of student life. Secondly the ambassadors were able to dispel some of the misconceptions of the Trust, highlighting how inexpensive youth membership could be.

The National Network

After witnessing the success of specifically themed events such as the Mad Hatters Tea Party in Plymouth many of the ambassadors were inspired to use their degree subjects and personal interests to steer their events into both accessible and interesting directions for fellow students. This was an idea picked up on particularly from the newly recruited ambassadors who are keen to use their outside experiences to enrich the current experiences of the group. The new recruit from Plymouth for example wishes to organise a conservation day which would prove beneficial for the volunteers both on a personal and academic level.