Former Psychiatric Nurse Contributes to Stately Home’s Revival

For 33 years, Neil Power served as a psychiatric nurse, routinely working with patients who had committed serious crimes. This week, he is attempting to position a pair of red trousers into a fireplace to create the illusion of Father Christmas being stuck in the chimney. This chimney is one of many at Wentworth Woodhouse, a Grade I listed stately home near Rotherham, which contains hundreds of rooms requiring Christmas decorations. An “army” of volunteers is currently preparing for the house’s festive events. Given the limited number of paid staff and the absence of its own furniture, the operation relies on individuals contributing their time and skills to adorn the rooms. Neil, one of these volunteers, previously worked in psychiatry, addressing areas such as substance misuse and child protection, and was stationed in high-security hospitals. He quickly grew “bored” after retiring. He became part of the team in 2017, the year the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust acquired the ancestral residence of the Earls Fitzwilliam from a private owner. At the time of acquisition, the Georgian mansion was in a semi-derelict state, with many of the staterooms in disrepair. Nevertheless, it has consistently been central to a community that is both rural and industrial, and the Fitzwilliam family served as significant local employers throughout the 20th Century. Local volunteers arrived in large numbers, motivated by their affection for a “gem” where their ancestors had been employed, or simply by their admiration for the house’s aesthetic appeal – it boasts one of England’s longest facades and rivals the scale of much more renowned stately homes. Neil stated, “I volunteered more out of being nosey than anything else. Very, very quickly, I fell in love with the place.” His standard position is the events and filming officer for the property, which has served as a setting for historical productions including The Crown, Victoria, and Gentleman Jack. However, during the festive season, he crafts decorations ranging from toy soldiers to Victorian lamp-posts. He further commented, “I get paid for a hobby, I absolutely love it. It’s given me a whole different lifestyle that I never knew, I’m using creativity I didn’t know I had, and I’m using my imagination I never knew I had.” The volunteer team experienced a fortunate development when an embroiderer, trained at the Royal School of Needlework, offered her expertise. Victoria Nowell, who worked for 35 years as a civil servant, has reactivated her sewing abilities and produced all the quilts exhibited in the house. Assisting her with room decoration is Julie Vickers, whose professional background is in education and finance. Both individuals are now retired and began volunteering two years prior. During a visit by the BBC, they were arranging a children’s bedroom themed as “Christmas morning.” Victoria acknowledged, “Unfortunately, I tend to make the blankets quite big.” Julie, a resident of the adjacent village of Greasbrough, described the house as an “absolute gem.” She stated, “It was an opportunity for me to come and help out, do what I could, and meet people.” She added, “Victoria and I met yesterday – it’s like we’ve known each other a lifetime.” Personnel at Wentworth have progressively restored rooms to a state suitable for visitors. The estate, with its surrounding land still belonging to Fitzwilliam descendants, was crucial to the local economy due to the family’s ownership of nearby collieries and ironworks. The dynasty experienced several misfortunes in the 1940s following the demise of the eighth earl, leading to the sale of the mansion’s contents, encompassing furniture, silver, sculptures, and artworks. The family ultimately sold the house in 1989. Helen Flower, the events and programming manager for the preservation trust, emphasized that volunteers are essential for assembling the displays. She explained, “The house is empty, so what we’ve got is a combination of donated items and props that have been built from leftover items and wood.” She added, “Volunteers have given their time, skills, equipment, advice, and creativity – it’s a huge team effort.” Concluding, she stated, “They’re really the driving force behind it.” In 2023, the house’s Christmas event, which drew inspiration from classic fairytales, attracted over 16,000 visitors. This year, the decorations for the house are centered on the theme of the poem The Night Before Christmas. Guests can explore the exhibition from 4 December through 29 December, with the exception of Mondays and holidays, and a light trail will be available in the gardens. For further content, highlights from South Yorkshire are available on BBC Sounds, and the latest episode of Look North can be viewed. The BBC also invites story submissions. This content is copyrighted by the BBC in 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites and provides information regarding its policy on external linking.