Beloved Volunteer Gardeners Forced Out of National Trust's Mottistone Manor

As of September 2025, the National Trust has faced a major fallout with the volunteer gardening team at Mottistone Manor on the Isle of Wight. The "Friday Gang," a group of 13 dedicated volunteers aged 50-80, were forced out of the gardens this past summer amid allegations of rudeness, bad behavior, lack of inclusivity, and failure to complete health and safety training.

The volunteers, who had been tending to the award-winning gardens for years, are completely bewildered by the Trust's actions. They insist the allegations came "completely out of the blue" and that they had never received any negative feedback before. The group, which included long-serving members like Gillian, Gerry, and Steve, are devastated to have been dismissed from a place they loved.

Mottistone Manor's gardens, which were designed in the 1960s by Lady Vivien Nicholson and inspired by her Sicilian background, have now fallen into disrepair since the volunteers' departure. The once-immaculate hedges, borders, and vegetable patches are now overgrown and neglected, a heartbreaking sight for the dedicated gardeners who poured their hearts into the estate.

The National Trust has refused to elaborate on the specific reasons behind the volunteers' dismissal, citing confidentiality. However, the volunteers believe the issues stemmed from tensions with the newly appointed head gardener, who made significant changes to the gardens without consulting the experienced team. As the volunteers continued to share their opinions, the relationship between management and the volunteers reportedly soured.

This incident at Mottistone Manor is not an isolated case, as similar disputes between the National Trust and its volunteer workforce have been reported across the country. The dismissal of the "Friday Gang" has left the gardens in a state of neglect, and the volunteers deeply saddened to have lost a cherished part of their lives.