As its new £1.2 million Natural Futures project launches, Cheshire Wildlife Trust offers a series of volunteer traineeships to help wildlife enthusiasts on the road to a career in conservation.
Last week the Trust hosted a free event at Grosvenor Park in celebrating the launch of this Heritage Lottery Fund project and highlighting the range of fantastic opportunities to get involved with the Trust’s work and to help local wildlife.
During the launch visitors, including guest of honour Sheriff of Chester Clr Alex Black, learned how to build their own bird boxes to put up at home or on one of the Trust’s reserves and took take part in a guided walk where a variety of butterflies, frogs, birds and plant species were all spotted.
Volunteering and training manager at Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Beth Alvey said: “As a volunteer with us you could be doing anything; from building a board walk, mowing a meadow, or looking after our conservation grazing herds, to surveying birds and butterflies on our reserves, collecting seeds from the trees, or answering the phones at the headquarters – all these elements combine to help us protect the local wildlife.
“We value our volunteers for whatever amount of time they can offer, from once a month to three days a week, it all adds up. Our volunteers who get involved stay with us for years and reap the rewards it offers from training, to social events to the health benefits.”
The Trust is currently offering a variety of part time voluntary trainee roles for those who are looking for a career in the conservation sector and there are opportunities to work on the Trust’s reserves, with its conservation grazing herds, organising events, or working with the planning and ecology team.
These six-month-long opportunities can really change a person’s career and life as Stephanie Bossons, from Winsford, who joined the Trust as a volunteer trainee and is now employed part time as a Trainee Reserves Officer, confirms.
She said: “Volunteering with Cheshire Wildlife Trust gave me a variety of practical skills and experience I needed to gain employment. It also built my confidence personally and professionally. It is really varied and you get to work closely with professional conservationists and feel part of the team. I loved it so much that I still volunteer in my spare time!”
If anyone would like to get involved with Cheshire Wildlife Trust visit website www.cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk or contact on 01948 820728
