Volunteer Opportunities

We are looking for practical conservation volunteers to help us deliver the habitat management work required on our reserves in the west of the county. Our reserves require management in order to halt or reverse successional processes. Left unmanaged, our grasslands and heathlands would revert to woodland and we would lose the wildlife which favours the aforementioned habitats. Even our woodlands require management to create and maintain structural diversity and encourage a broad range of species. 

Please note that due to the nature and location of our reserves, there are no facilities on site. 

Tasks involve:

Our work is responsive, but there are seasonal trends, such as woodland, hedgerow and scrub work in winter, fencing and infrastructure repairs in the bird breeding season, invasive species work in the heat of the summer and mowing and raking in August and September. 

Skills required:

No experience is required, as we provide training. Anybody and everybody is welcome. As long as a person is reasonably fit and enjoys being outside in all weathers.

Hours required:

Volunteering workdays take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and one Sunday a month, across any of our reserves in the West. If you apply to be a volunteer, you will receive an email every Friday outlining the tasks and locations for the following week and you can sign up for any of these.

Each working party is around 5 hours long (usually 9.30/9.45-2.30/2.35 weekdays and 10-2/3 on Sundays)

Location:

“Western” reserves

Regular work party days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and one Sunday a month

Reserve Officers: Andy Neilson, Sophia Attwood-Clarke, & Chris Hill

• Altar Stones
• Charley Woods
• Charnwood Lodge
• Cloud Wood
• Cossington Meadows
• Croft Pasture
• Dimminsdale
• Fox Wood
• Kelham Bridge
• Lea Meadows
• Lucas Marsh
• Miles Piece
• Mountsorrel and Rothley Marshes
• Narborough Bog
• Rocky Plantation
• Syston Lakes
• Tilton Cutting
• Tom Longs Meadow
• Ulverscroft
• Wanlip Meadows
• Wymeswold Meadows

We are looking for practical conservation volunteers to help us deliver the habitat management work required on our reserves in the west of the county. Our reserves require management in order to halt or reverse successional processes. Left unmanaged, our grasslands and heathlands would revert to woodland and we would lose the wildlife which favours the aforementioned habitats. Even our woodlands require management to create and maintain structural diversity and encourage a broad range of species. 

What’s involved:

Our work is responsive, but there are seasonal trends, such as woodland, hedgerow and scrub work in winter, fencing and infrastructure repairs in the bird breeding season, invasive species work in the heat of the summer and mowing and raking in August and September. 

Hours:

Volunteering workdays take place on one Sunday a month, across any of our reserves in the West, usually 10am-2/3pm.

Skills required:

No experience is required, as we provide training. Anybody and everybody is welcome. As long as a person is reasonably fit and enjoys being outside in all weathers.

Location:

• Altar Stones
• Charley Woods
• Charnwood Lodge
• Cloud Wood
• Cossington Meadows
• Croft Pasture
• Dimminsdale
• Fox Wood
• Kelham Bridge
• Lea Meadows
• Lucas Marsh
• Miles Piece
• Mountsorrel and Rothley Marshes
• Narborough Bog
• Rocky Plantation
• Syston Lakes
• Tilton Cutting
• Tom Longs Meadow
• Ulverscroft
• Wanlip Meadows
• Wymeswold Meadows

How you can get involved:  

If you would like to come down for a taster session, please complete the application form. You can do this by downloading the form below and emailing it to volunteering@lrwt.org.uk or complete the Online Application Form.

Rutland Water is home to the first Ospreys to breed in England for 150 years, following a translocation project. The Rutland Osprey Project; now in its 30th year, has been a huge success and it’s good work is being reflected in projects around the world.

Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust at Rutland Water continue to monitor the Ospreys, with the help from our amazing volunteers. Our volunteers help us keep the hide open to the public whilst also recording the key Osprey events that happen during the day.

We are looking for some more volunteer to help us continue with this monitoring on an od hock basis, ideally between 6am - 9am or 5pm - 8pm.

What’s involved:

The Manton Bay nest (as seen on the webcam) is monitored from Waderscrape hide at the Lyndon part of the nature reserve. This hide is open to the public, so here not only will your role involve recording the bird’s behaviour, you will also need to be confident in engaging with members of the public and enthusing them about the project. 

You may also be required to unlock the hide and set up the scopes and also pack down, depending on your shift.

Hours:

We run on a shift pattern at Manton Bay hide: 

• 6am-9am
• 9am -1pm
• 1pm- 5pm
• 5pm until 8pm

Skills required:

No previous skills are required as training will be given. However, a friendly approach and an enthusiasm to talk to visitors is key to the role. An interest in Ospreys and wildlife is an added bonus. Sometimes you might be in the hide on your own, so you should be comfortable being able to volunteer on your own.

Training: 

Training will be delivered on how to open and close the hide and set up the scopes.  Volunteers will also have several ‘shadowing’ sessions at the Waderscrape Hide with both staff and other volunteers until they feel confident enough to manage the hide by themselves/ with another volunteer. 

Location:

Waderscrape Hide, Lyndon Visitor Centre, Rutland Water Nature Reserve

How you can get involved:  

If you would like to come down for a taster session, please complete the application form. You can do this by downloading the form below and emailing it to volunteering@lrwt.org.uk or complete the Online Application Form.

Would you like to be one of our Visitor Centre volunteers? 

Our centres are the first point of contact for everyone visiting the Nature Reserve at Rutland Water, and it is great to be able to welcome them with a smile.

We are looking for volunteers to help us welcome visitors at both the Lyndon Visitor Centre and Anglian Water Birdwatching Centre.  You will play a vital role as one of the first points of contact to the reserve, engaging with the public and telling them more about our learning, shopping, community events and activities.

What’s involved:

• You will be asked to give our visitors a warm welcome whilst operating the reception desk and phone.
• Encourage donations and membership by talking to visitors about the work of the Trust.
• Operate the till to receive payment for admissions, tickets and retail purchases (training provided).
• Assist with enquiries for events and activities.
• Help in the shop with restocking, tidying and selling items.

Hours:

We are open 7 days per week and are looking for volunteers to help be on our rota on an ad hock basies, filling in empty shifts.

• From March - October volunteer hours are 9am-1pm or 1pm-5pm
• From November - February hours are 9.00am-12.30pm or 12.30pm - 4.00pm (Anglian Water Bird Watching Centre only, Lyndon closed)

Skills required:

No previous skills are required as training will be given. However, a friendly approach and an enthusiasm to help visitors is key to the role and a willingness to contribute positively towards the team and supporting staff in their day-to-day work. An interest in wildlife is an added bonus to help us engage our visitors.

Training: 

Training will be delivered on how to work the till.  Volunteers will also have several ‘shadowing’ sessions at Lyndon Visitor Centre with both staff and other volunteers until they feel confident enough to manage the desk by themselves. There will always be staff on site and volunteers will never be left in the visitor centre alone. 

Location:

Anglian Water Birdwatching Centre or Lyndon Visitor Centre, Rutland Water Nature Reserve.

How you can get involved:  

If you would like to come down for a taster session, please complete the application form. You can do this by downloading the form below and emailing it to volunteering@lrwt.org.uk or complete the Online Application Form.