Join The Cotswold Water Park Society
Volunteering
If you enjoy the outdoors, being active, and learning new skills why not join us as a Volunteer Ranger?
Areas where we need volunteers
- Countryside Access
- Habitat Management
- Biodiversity
- Administration
Volunteer Rangers
Becoming a volunteer ranger can be rewarding in many ways:
- Meet new people
- Gain many new skills in practical conservation
- Get some exercise and fresh air
- Helping to conserve and protect the Cotswold Water Park
What is involved ?
Our practical conservation tasks range from coppicing, reedbed management, hedgelaying, surveying and footpath maintenance. These are just some of the things we do and jobs can vary depending on the great British weather! You must be prepared to work out in most weathers.
Bring a picnic, waterproofs and sturdy shoes or wellies.
When do you meet ?
Days start generally from 10am and finish at 3-3.30pm, and take place one Sunday a month from Sept/Oct through to June.
Programme for 2010
Sunday 24th January
On-going maintenance on the old railway line, scrub clearance and coppicing.
Meet at Bridges Car Park (off Spine Road) at 10am.
Bring wellies and lunch.
Sunday 21st February
Boating on Lake 34! Out to one of the islands at Cokes Pit to do some annual coppicing.
Meet at Cotswold Country Park and Beach at 10am.
Bring wellies and lunch.
Sunday 21st March
Hedgework maintenance at Shorncote Reedbeds.
Meet at Cotswold Country Park and Beach at 10am.
Bring wellies and lunch.
Sunday 18th April
After our work in 2009 for the Marsh Helleborines we will go to 68d to protect the small colony there by way of rabbit fencing.
Meet at Waterhay Car Park at 10am.
Bring wellies and lunch.
Sunday 23rd May
Removal of invasive species at Cleveland Farm Complex.
Meet at Cotswold Country Park and Beach at 10am.
Bring Wellies and lunch.
Sunday 27th June
End of season barbeque or similar from lunch time. We will do some surveying in the morning from 10am.
Meet at Cotswold Country Park and Beach at 10am.
Volunteering with the Cotswold Water Park Society
Here is what one of our current volunteers thinks about us….( that's him in the picture!)
"I had worked in factories and offices all my working life and when I retired I wanted to do some work outside and be involved with nature. I was happy not top be paid and so I applied to be a volunteer with the CWPS. As I had plenty of time I volunteered for 2 days a week and I have been doing for over three years.
I have really enjoyed myself doing physical work that can be quite tiring but means that I come home feeling that I have contributed. The sort of work that I have been involved with has been reed-bed management (cutting and burning willow), hedgerow management and hedge laying, fencing, clearing ditches, footpath maintenance including hedge cutting and grass strimming, etc, etc.
I preferred to spend time volunteering during the week but for those of you who want to get involved but do not have so much time, there is the monthly Sunday volunteer group where the rangers organise the group to work together to make an impact on a particular project. The ranger team are a great bunch to work with and they are always pointing out elements of the natural world that we come across in the waterpark that would go unnoticed in the normal course of events.
I hope that this will encourage you to try volunteering with the CWPS."
Jim Viney
If you would like to find out more or would actually like to join us, please call Phillipa Sheldrake on 07789511566, or email phillipa.sheldrake@waterpark.org
Other volunteering opportunities
If you would like to find out about other volunteering opportunities, please contact the CWP Society offices on 01793 752413, or email info@waterpark.org.
