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Southwark Cathedral gets holiday makeover from campers

London SE1 website team

A team of young volunteers has spent the past week giving Southwark Cathedral a summer makeover.

Southwark Cathedral gets holiday makeover from campers

The Cathedral Camp was led by Robert Hooper from Middlesbrough, a recent graduate in civil engineering, gave his time through the CSV charity to lead a Cathedral Camp at Southwark.

The team of volunteers from across the UK slept and worked in the grounds of Southwark Cathedral, repainting railings in the churchyard, oiling woodwork and wax polishing antiques.

"I enjoy volunteering," says Robert Hooper. "I think it's good to help out and it's also a great way to experience a new place and do work that you don't usually get the opportunity to be part of.

"Cathedral Camps is only one of the projects I'm involved with, I also help disabled children go horse riding and volunteer with Oxfam."

"The work at Cathedral Camps is very physical. One of the tasks that I really enjoy is to clean staircases in cathedrals, which often leads to hidden doors and places nobody has seen for probably ages."

"I would recommend Cathedral Camps to any young person. You meet new people at every camp and it is great to spend time in such unusual locations."

The Cathedral Camps scheme has operated for more than 25 years, drawing on volunteers' energy to help conserve Britain's cathedrals and churches.

"Cathedral Camps demonstrate the positive impact that young people make in helping to protect our architectural heritage," says CSV's Arnie Wickens.

"Volunteers' time, energy and enthusiasm plays an important role in preserving social history and preventing landmark buildings from falling into disrepair."

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