Founded in 1988, the Friends of Oakwell Hall and Country Park are a voluntary support group for this wonderfully authentic 16th Century Manor House in Yorkshire - and for its surrounding 110 acres of country park. We undertake a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities at Oakwell Hall including:

• acting as guides in the Hall on Sunday afternoons in the summer - often wearing period costume!
• (on selected weekends) showing visitors how to make lavender bags, pomanders, play Victorian games or even write with a quill pen!
• helping on the Tea Stall on selected event days - our ladies are renowned for their refreshments and delicious home-baking.
• helping at major events - the annual Country Fair in August or the Christmas Craft Fair at the beginning of December
• giving out information, organising car-parking - there's always something to do!
• writing articles for our award-winning newsletter. Produced by the Friends - for the Friends - three times a year, this newsletter not only aims to provide up-to-date information but also gives members the opportunity of sharing their interests.

Prefer to be outdoors? No problem - join our work parties.

The Friends Volunteer work parties are held on the first Saturday of each month and usually cover a wide range of light tasks in the Park. We start at 10am, meeting at the Depot in the Visitor Centre. If you're interested we'd be pleased to see you but please ring to check  that the workshop is taking place and to get further details.

It's a great way to learn new skills, meet old and new friends and be out and about in the fresh air in wonderful surroundings. Come and join in - it's great fun and never boring.

The Friends in costume and in the grounds: