Volunteer
Volunteering with BBOWT nourishes the soul and helps maintain a balance in my life
See all volunteering opportunities
Whether you have just an hour, a day or a week to give, and whatever your skills, there’s an opportunity for you to volunteer with the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) near where you live.
You will be joining hundreds of other people from all walks of life who volunteer with the Wildlife Trust. We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds, cultures, identities and abilities.
As well as being a great way to meet people, learn new skills and gain valuable experience that could help you start a career in conservation, volunteering with the Wildlife Trust will give you the satisfaction of knowing that you’re helping to protect and enhance your local environment to benefit wildlife and connect people with nature.
You don’t need lots of experience! BBOWT has volunteering opportunities at all levels, on our nature reserves, at our visitor and education centres and in our offices, and relevant training is given before you start.
Benefits of being a volunteer
You will help your local wildlife, have fun and possibly get fit too, learn new skills and meet other volunteers at social events.
If you have an email address you will receive Grapevine, our e-newsletter full of information about volunteering with BBOWT, and information about free training courses and other events.
You could win an award! Lifetime Achievement and Outstanding Contribution Awards are presented every year at our AGM when we recognise and celebrate all that BBOWT volunteers are doing for wildlife.
Examples of practical volunteering
You can help your local wildlife in a number of ways – these are just a few of them:
- As an occasional or regular ‘work party’ volunteer on a local reserve, you will carry out practical conservation tasks to help improve wildlife habitats on the reserve.
- Your admin and computer skills are very useful to our office teams who would appreciate your support loading data, compiling membership packs and replying to wildlife queries.
- Our education teams rely on volunteers to help guide and inspire the young people who attend our 3 education centres.
- If you join one of BBOWT’s mid-week teams in Berks, Bucks or Oxon you will be doing practical tasks every week on several different nature reserves within the county.
- You can help at our events, ‘meet and greet’ at Visitor Centres, or enjoy a walk around a reserve to check on our livestock.
- Volunteers with ecological expertise carry out surveys of various species groups including birds, butterflies, plants and water voles.
Regional groups
Regional groups in the Chilterns, East Berkshire and Mid-Berkshire play key roles in raising the profile of BBOWT in their area, helping to raise vital funds and increase membership by organising local events and work parties. Volunteers are needed to help run events such as guided walks and plant and produce sales, and serve on committees.
'Friends of' groups
‘Friends of’ groups are linked to specific nature reserves such as Letcombe Valley and Thatcham Community Orchard. Find out more about these groups by emailing volunteering@bbowt.org.uk
Volunteering policies
We believe in the value of volunteering, and we have policies that guide our work in recruiting, supporting and managing volunteers. We also have a strong commitment to equal opportunities in volunteering. We have procedures to make sure you are fairly treated.
BBOWT Volunteers Hub
BBOWT Registered volunteers can sign up for our BBOWT Volunteeers Hub.
At the hub there is a forum to discuss volunteering and conservation topics, raise issues for discussion at the Volunteer Voice Forum and download volunteer documents.
Read about what some of our volunteers get up to
Ramblings from Finemere Wood
"a warm and sunny day in the wood was a blessing, energising all into a frenzy of activity."
Spotlight on a volunteer
In the next in our series, volunteering administrator Wayne Brown chats to Sam Darley about her time as an ecology trainee
Ramblings from Finemere Wood
Finemere Wood is just the place to be to observe the awakening of the wild
BBOWT Book Corner | Wilding by Isabella Tree
In the first of our new series, BBOWT volunteer Logan Walker reviews Wilding by Isabella Tree
Ramblings from Finemere Wood
"Dishevelled, damp and grimy, they look a sorry state. But still they smile and laugh and I don’t doubt they will be back for more…
Join the search for the year's first bee-flies
BBOWT volunteer recorder, Sue Taylor takes a closer look some of the first insects of the year, distinctly furry little flies
Kick start your career in conservation as a Wildlife Trainee
Find out moreVolunteer with our Regional Groups
Find out moreThe latest winners of our Volunteer Awards
Find out moreWould you like to support your local Wildlife Trust and supplement your income? We are looking for friendly, independent and self-motivated people of all ages to work with us and encourage members of the public to join the Wildlife Trust.
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