Stunning. Amazing. This was my first reaction to the National Trust drive to make countryside staff more friendly and approachable. No longer to be called wardens, the initiative will rename them rangers and to top it all, the environmentally reflective green uniform will give way to an in your face orange.
Andy Mayled the National Trust general manager claims the new image will be a statement of how serious we are. Why? were you only fooling around before?
I would have thought the hard pressed wardens / rangers would have had enough to do with out spending all day talking to visitors, asking questions such as what would you like to do? Well if the visitors are walking in the countryside, I should imagine they are already know what they would like to do and are doing it. Wouldn’t it be more prudent to let volunteers engage with the public and letting the staff get on with the impossible job of managing the land?
As for the new look, I’d be dammed if I would want my work force looking like the pay back team from an offenders unit. I think the money for these changes would be better spent on silly things like tools and materials, but that’s me old fashioned.
These sort of initiatives are surly drummed up by under worked management that have nothing better to do during the day apart from drinking the allocated allowance for tea and cake. It’s just as well they never took inspiration from Joseph and his amazing coat, the whole National Trust countryside team could have ended up with the appearance of a wandering band of Mendip mummers cross dressed as tinker bells.
Should this new initiative take off, which we are guessing it will considering the new Wild Child competition just launched by the Trust will allow a winning child to spend the day with a ‘National Trust Ranger’, have already spotted a potential problem in the location of Northern Ireland.
Now call me Mr Negative considering this news broke in time for July 12, I think it very possible that an employee of the Trust wearing bright orange, living in a republican sector, may bring unwanted attention to themselves. I suppose they could always put on a bowler hat and a request for a conflict and resolution course might be a good move.
Before I go I would ask: Was the staff on the ground consulted about the changes? How many agreed to it just to stay in the promotion race>? And how many were registered colour blind? Was there an additional proposal to name the Somerset warden’s base Ibrox Park?
This story I have dedicate to all those hard working staff that are facing redundancy, or have been made redundant. How comforted they must feel knowing the money the National Trust saved on their posts is being well invested.
PS some of you other wardens may find this amusing, but bear in mind, you are only one Email away from being tangoed yourselves.
