Be a Volunteer for the Group!
"Research has shown that people who volunteer often live longer."
Allen Klein
"Research has shown that people who volunteer often live longer."
Allen Klein
The great thing about volunteering with our conservation group is that the range of tasks is so varied:-
Weed control - Without annual weed control the walks and the railway yard would be swamped with weeds.
Skilled Carpentry - we build picnic tables, information boards, feeding stations, benches and much more - on site and at the Rangers' workshop.
Hedge trimming - Hedges keep growing, as do the unwanted brambles.
Crown lifting - The lower branches of trees need to be removed otherwise they prevent the grass and hedges from growing. A major winter task.
Coppicing - traditional method of woodland management. In a coppiced wood, young tree stems are repeatedly cut down to near ground level.
Photographer - We are always looking for good photos of our sites and their nature for our website.
Mowing, strimming & raking - With so many grass paths there is a lot of mowing and strimming to be done.
Writing - Articles for our website, writing applications for awards and funding, writing progress reviews and occasional articles for publications.
Fires - We cut back large volumes of branches, shrubs and vegetation. Our sites would be full of brush piles if we did not burn the material.
Painting - Picnic tables, railings, gates and benches all need this.
Knowing people - our social committee has the vital task of getting our volunteers working AND playing together and raising funds too.
Cook - we frequently provide food and hot drinks for volunteers - and someone shops and cooks each time!
Planting - Planting trees, shrubs, bulbs and wild flowers. Nature needs a hand sometimes. We planted 5000 bluebells in 2014!
Management - A dreaded name but people are needed to make decisions, buy materials, plan work, organise fund raising.
Naturalist - Identify and study the flowers, birds and other wildlife on site. We have had many flora and fauna studies over the past few years.
Access to the sites - We need kind folk to lock and unlock the carparks at each site morning and night, depending on the daylight.
Wildlife feeding - Bird tables and bird feeders need maintaining and re-filling regularly.
There is always a job if you are prepared to offer your services.