Volunteering

Cuerden Valley Park / Get Involved / Volunteering

Do you need to get outside in the fresh air, meet new people, release some frustration, work off the stresses of the week? Do you love Cuerden Valley Park, and want to influence its future?

Volunteering is good for the soul, and great for the social life. Come and join our friendly group here at Cuerden.

Regular Volunteering

There are lots of ways you can volunteer in the park, whether you want to work with the Rangers on a weekday, help deliver Education sessions or become a greeter in the Cafe at weekend.

Simply drop us a message via our Contact Us page or drop into the Office at the Cafe next time you visit.

Conservation Task days

We also host informal conservation task days each month, you can simply drop in and stay as long as you wish.

Come along on to the third Saturday of each month.

When: 9.30am – 4.00pm. Meet at the Visitor Centre, Berkeley Road car park at 9.45am, we regularly get between 35 and 50 volunteers turning up to work on the park. You don’t have to stay the full day, come along and join us for a couple of hours.

What: Activities differ according to ability – everyone is welcome. We clear pathways, build fences, plant trees, clear shrubs and brambles, clear ponds and work in our Orchard and Pinetum… all to maintain the park for everyone.

What you need to bring: All tools and gloves are provided. Please wear walking boots or wellies, and suitable clothes for the weather (bring waterproofs if it’s wet, and a hat etc. if it’s cold). Bring water.

What you get: Teas and coffees are provided, as is a delicious and warming lunch (always a vegetarian option). We tend to have donuts in the afternoon too…

Dog-friendly: This activity can be dog-friendly, depending on your dog. Some dogs come along, they stay close to their owners and are friendly to other dogs, and it works well. You decide. (It’s difficult to swing a spade about while holding a dog-lead.) Maybe give it a try – if it doesn’t work out, leave the dog at home next time.

Who:

  • Age and family-friendly – from 10 – 100, we’ll find a task to suit. There are a number of children who come along, obviously the older they are, the better, for handling tools etc. The youngest volunteer so far is 6 – which is on the young side – but still welcome. The younger kids (aged 10+) will help preparing food and drinks, as well as work in the park, and we’ll try to take time out to teach some bushcraft skills if we can.
  • Fitness-friendly – it helps if you are generally fit, however, we have some volunteers who can’t. Let us know in advance, and we’ll try and make room in the Land Rover. We can match tasks to abilities.
  • Come alone or with friends – this is a great way to get out and make new friends. Most of the regulars came alone, and now have friends for life. (We will socialise and have meet-ups away from the park too.)

For more information contact us directly.

Enquire about volunteering

Could you spare a couple of hours or even a day every now and again to help us out here at Cuerden Valley Park? Volunteering is a great way to get out, meet people, learn and practice new and existing skills.

Ways you can help

We are always looking for people with skills to help with a variety of tasks including

Events

Conservation

Education

Further info

Volunteering is a great way to get out, meet people, stay healthy and learn new skills. You will get out in the Park helping the Rangers with tasks that need more pairs of hands.  Anyone over the age of 13 can help although if you’re under 16 you need to have an appropriate adult come along with you.

Through the year we hold numerous events including our Beer & Gin Festival & Cuerden Taskmaster.  You might like to help set up events, and if you enjoy meeting people you could help to run the event on the day.

Our education department may have vacancies to help with school visits, teaching children about rivers or mini-beasts, for example.

Whether you are retired and looking for something to keep you active, between jobs, looking for experience or just wanting to help a good cause, volunteering could be just what you are searching for.

If you would like to talk about any of the above opportunities, please either contact us using the form or call the office on 01772 324436.