What Volunteer?

Why give your time for free?

People get involved in volunteering for a whole host of reasons almost as diverse as the volunteers themselves. Some feel that in their working lives that they are cut off from nature and that being involved at a weekend reconnects them. Some are looking to gain the experience, often required these days, to help begin a career in countryside conservation. Others may well feel that although they have escaped the working world they still have many fantastic skills that they want to pass on to others. One of the other great benefits of volunteering is the social side what with meeting a range of new people and some local groups organise great social nights or trips out.

Volunteers come in all shapes, sizes, skills and abilities and because of that so do the range of tasks and work which can be attempted.

Constructional projects range from digging out new ponds, erecting fences, dry stone walling, constructing steps or new footpaths. Although all these tasks sound arduous they are made easier by working as a team at a reasonable pace. The volunteer groups which attempt these projects will have experienced team members and a range of tools that will help a new volunteer pick up skills in these areas.

All wildlife habitats need some sort of management to keep them in the best condition to support the greatest range of wildlife. In fact it is often said that there is not a truly wild place left in Britain as over the years mankind has been involved making changes to suit themselves. Habitat management is an extremely important part of volunteer work and ranges from skilled operations such as hedge laying, tree planting and hay making to unskilled but vital removal of invasive plant species or the thinning of woodland plantations.

As our wildlife habitats improve they will begin to be populated by a greater range of wildlife. Volunteers are needed to record these species and the numbers they occur in. A volunteer would not need to be an expert from the very beginning but can build up their knowledge from experience and make use of the many training opportunities and more informal get together run around the borough. See the Recording Pages of this site.

Many of Trafford’s Parks have friends of groups who help council officers plan the futures and events of our parks. These groups will always welcome additional members to spread the load. Many are active in many different ways in the promotion and development of the park they care for or even getting involved with physical alterations.

Links to volunteering Organisation

The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers.

These enthusiastic and well organised volunteers are part of a national network that carries out practical conservation tasks of both a constructional and habitat management nature. There are both a mid week and weekend groups who meet up in Chorlton to be bussed to the work site for more details and the current task program click on the link above.

The Sale and Altrincham Conservation Volunteers.

This friendly highly skilled group meet on Sundays to carry out a wide variety of practical tasks. The group are more than capable of tackling both habitat management and constructional tasks and are affiliated to the BTCV and so benefit from their training and insurance.

Cheshire Wildlife trust North Cheshire Group.

Informed and active group whom regularly carry out detailed habitat surveys of parcels of land across Trafford as well as maintaining their own magnificent sites of Biological Importance. The potential range of tasks available for volunteers with in the Cheshire wildlife Trust is enormous.

National Trust Volunteers.

At Lyme Park, Quarry Bank Mill, Dunham Massey and Little Moreton Hall we welcome volunteers to help in the houses and on the estates, including room guides, events and wardening. We also have opportunities for you to get involved with essential countryside maintenance tasks, with our team of Wardens across the beautiful Cheshire countryside

Park Friends Groups.
Have a look at the notice boards in your local park or visit Trafford's Parks Website