Volunteer Roles in West Midlands

Purpose of your role: 
As a Local Reserves Group Leader, you will lead a group of volunteers on one of our local nature reserves to carry out a variety of tasks throughout the year. This is a valuable resource for enabling volunteers to give their time over a weekend, when other opportunities are limited.

Tasks you will be involved with: 

Leading a group of volunteers on your designated nature reserve
To ensure that the reserves group is conducted in a safe environment and any accidents or near misses are reported to the Reserves Manager as soon as is practicable 
Liaison with Reserves Manager to produce a plan of work. Thereafter to liaise with your Reserves Officer regarding ongoing practical habitat management
To adhere to WKWT Health & Safety, Policies and Procedures. Liaise with the Reserves Officer regarding any problems arising as soon as is practicable
To securely maintain and complete all relevant trust paperwork to allow for collation of site tasks and volunteering information and attendance details
To maintain any tools and other WKWT owned resources in accordance with good working practice
To attend regular training or refresher sessions as organised by WKWT 
To attend an Annual Health & Safety Check with WKWT Reserves Officer and/or staff member
To be part of the management plan review programme

Purpose of your role:

If you love being active outdoors and enjoy practical tasks, then we would love to hear from you. As a Grounds Maintenance Volunteer, you will work alongside the Maintenance Manager to look after the Visitor Centre grounds, gardens and pathways. You will be the friendly face representing the Trust, both in our Visitor Centre and out and about on the Brandon Marsh reserve. You will work with the team to create enjoyable and memorable experiences by helping to maintain a clean, safe and well-presented Visitor Centre. Your efforts will contribute towards the delivery of the Trust's strategic plan and support the Centre team in striving towards its goals.

Tasks you will be involved with:

Tasks will vary throughout the year and will often involve the use of hand and power tools. The majority of the tasks can be summarised as:

. Trimming bushes, hedges and grassy areas.
. Weeding flowerbeds.
. Planting flowerbeds.
. General maintenance of buildings, gates, fences, signage and pathways.
. Litter picking

Purpose of your role:

As a reception volunteer, you will provide a warm welcome to visitors to the Centre. If you have a particular passion for birds, butterflies, fungi or wildflowers then this is an opportunity to share your passion with others. You will be the friendly face representing the Trust, helping visitors to make the most of their visit, and interpreting information about the reserve and its wildlife. You will be assist the Centre team in maintaining a clean and well-presented Visitor Centre which is profitable and efficient. You will be helping to support the delivery of the Trust's strategic plan and support the Centre team in striving towards its goals.

Tasks you will be involved with:

Assisting with maintaining standards of housekeeping
- Keeping the Centre clean and well presented.
- Ensuring that the Trust facilities are ready to receive visitors each day.
- Ensure that leaflets and posters are up to date and well presented.

Meeting and greeting visitors to the reserve
- Bringing the nature reserve to life for our visitors and answering their questions.
- Helping visitors discover more about the reserve and the species present.
- Engaging with visitors, and chatting about the benefits of supporting the Wildlife Trusts.
- Having up to date information to hand regarding events bookings, membership offers and latest wildlife sightings.
- Promoting and recruiting members to Warwickshire Wildlife Trust.
- Promoting volunteer opportunities.

Supporting the retail officer at the Centre
- Keep up to date with knowledge on the products being sold.
- Keep the shop well stocked and merchandised.
- Assisting with deliveries and stock input on till system.
- Serving and assisting customers
- Assisting with cash handling and cashing up procedures where appropriate.

Fundraising
- Encourage visitor donations.
- Promote and fundraising initiatives taking place at the Centre.

Events
 - Assisting with setting up and clearing away after events.
 - Helping with any tasks that need doing during an event.

Purpose of your role: 
The Dunsmore Living Landscape project aims to link up Warwickshire’s ancient woodlands, hedgerows, grasslands and ponds, and reconnect people with their local wild places. We work on nature reserves, farms and country parks throughout the Living Landscape area. Join us to get stuck in with practical habitat management and surveying in this beautiful area. 

Tasks you will be involved with: 

Tasks will vary throughout the year, ranging from wildflower meadow management and surveying in the summer to coppicing, path work, hedgerow restoration, scrub clearance and hedge planting in the autumn and winter. There are also opportunities to join us with the Dormouse Reintroduction project, hedgerow surveying and data entry and analysis in your own time. 

Skills and abilities required: 

No prior experience needed, as full training is provided
You should bring suitable footwear and waterproof clothing, all tools and safety equipment will be provided
A willingness to work outside in all weather and in remote locations
An understanding of the importance of health and safety in the environment described
Able to follow instructions, able to follow and work to our Health and Safety policies and procedures
An awareness of the physical nature of practical work and the requirement to work with and alongside  mechanical and powered equipment

Please note: If you require assistance in your everyday life you will need to attend with someone who can support you throughout the session as it is essential that people are able to take responsibility for their own health &  safety.

Bring a packed lunch, drink, sun cream if weather is hot and insect repellent.

Purpose of your role: 

As a Tame Force Volunteer you will carry out a wide variety of practical tasks to maintain and enhance Warwickshire Wildlife Trust’s nature reserves throughout the Tame Valley Wetlands area of East    Birmingham, North Warwickshire, and Staffordshire. 

Tasks you will be involved with: 

Tasks will vary throughout the year, with a particular emphasis on wetland habitats management enhancement. Tasks include invasive species management, planting trees and wetland species, meadow and ride cutting in the summer, and coppicing, scrub removal, path work and pond work in the autumn and winter.

Purpose of your role:

As a Project Volunteer, you will assist our Project / Reserves Officer to maintain and enhance your local green spaces  / Warwickshire Wildlife Trust nature reserves. 

Tasks you will be involved with: 
Tasks will vary throughout the year, ranging from meadow and ride cutting in the summer to coppicing, tree felling and scrub clearance in the winter along with various other construction projects, fencing, pond work, litter picking. Often the work will involve the use of hand tools, mechanical and powered equipment such as brush-cutters, chainsaws, mowers and tractors on site.

Purpose of your role:
To deliver talks to local groups and clubs, in order to raise vital funds. We have a range of scripted talks, ranging from the history, the reserves and the work of Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, to talks on bats or hedgehogs, which you could choose to deliver. Or you could create your own talk based on something that you are knowledgeable and passionate about, in line with the Trusts aims and objectives. We will support you by helping you to create your own PowerPoint presentation and we will book talks on your behalf.

Tasks you will be involved with:
 .Talking to members of the public about the work of the Trust
 .Support the planning and preparation and delivery of talks
 .Setting up display stands

Purpose of your role
To attend and support Warwickshire Wildlife Trust fundraising events and engage with the general public about nature and the work we do. In this varied role you may be asked to run a stand, such as hook a duck or tombola, run an activity like making bird feeders or children’s crafts, storytelling to family den building, toast marshmallows on a fire to signing up new members to Warwickshire Wildlife Trust. The majority of our events are held outdoors either at one of the Trusts reserves or at a networking event organised by another organisation.

Tasks you will be involved with:
. Assist as required at specific events.
. Talking to members of the public about our aims and the work of the trust
 .Support the planning, preparation and delivery of wildlife based activities
 .Assist with the promotion of the benefits Warwickshire Wildlife Trust membership, you may even sign up to be a member yourself
 .Working with a diverse range of people across all age groups
    . Helping others to act for nature
 .Handling money
 .Setting up display stands
. Erecting and dismantling WWT gazebos
. This role may include lifting and carrying and can be heavy at times

Your purpose will be to take a group of around 30 children/school children and their teaching staff, leading them through 4 activities in a day visit to, either Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, Coventry and The Parkridge Centre, Solihull. Sessions may include, Art in the Wild, Pond-Dipping, Teddy Bear Adventure, Den-Building, Mini-beast Hunting, Mammal Discovery and many more. Most Schools that visit us are KS1/Lower KS2 (Age 5- 8) although we do also cater for children and young people aged 3-18. Visiting schools choose their activities from a choice of pre-planned sessions.

Purpose of your role:
To support the staff and volunteers carrying out practical habitat management by ensuring tools and equipment required to complete the work are maintained in a good state of repair.

• Maintaining and repairing a range of hand tools and other Warwickshire Wildlife Trust owned resources in accordance with good working practice.
• Sharpening tools
• Helping maintain a safe, tidy and efficient workshop
• To adhere to WKWT Health & Safety, Policies and Procedures. Liaise with the Reserves Officer regarding any problems arising as soon as is practicable
• Keeping a record of spare parts & materials required
• Keeping a record of maintenance being carried out
• Liaising with the Reserves Officers for any parts or materials that need ordering

Purpose of your role: 

The Sherbourne Valley Project is run by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, with the aims of reconnecting the people of Coventry with the city’s river whilst helping to restore the river for wildlife. As a Wildlife Monitoring Volunteer, you will assist the Sherbourne Valley Project team with wildlife monitoring tasks, helping us to keep track of how well the wildlife is doing within the areas of the Sherbourne Valley.

Tasks you will be involved with: 

You will be helping to monitor the wildlife along the Sherbourne Valley, this may include identifying and counting               invertebrates found in the river, counting birds or wild flowers and/or any other tasks associated with keeping track of wildlife within the area. Prior knowledge or experience of wildlife identification would be useful but not essential as training and guidance will be offered.

Purpose of your role: 
The Sherbourne Valley Project is run by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, with the aims of reconnecting the people of Coventry with the city’s river whilst helping to restore the river for wildlife. As a Practical Conservation Volunteer, you will assist the Sherbourne Valley Project team with a variety of practical tasks that will enhance the wildlife habitats along the Sherbourne Valley area.

Tasks you will be involved with: 
Tasks will vary throughout the year and range from tree felling and coppicing to scrub clearance in the winter, with the removal of invasive species such as Himalayan Balsam in the spring and summer. Some of the work will involve improving the quality of habitat in the river channel, all tasks will involve the use of a variety of hand tools.

Purpose of your role: 
To act as the “eyes and ears” of Warwickshire Wildlife Trust on the ground by visiting your nature reserve on a regular basis and reporting back any interesting sightings, vandalism, fly tipping, site safety issues or any other significant behaviour. 

Tasks you will be involved with: 
Visiting your designated reserve on a regular basis
Reporting any issues to the relevant Reserves Officer
Litter picking
Snipping back any overgrown scrub
Promoting the Trust and the work it does to visitors to the reserve

To assist with the smooth running of Warwickshire Wildlife Trust by providing a range of office administration and information services to staff, volunteers and members.

Tasks you will be involved with:
• Management of documentation and records including scanning, filing, archiving and shredding
• Assisting the Administrator with creation and maintenance of internal spreadsheets
• Assisting with the input of data onto our Access Charity CRM database system
• General office duties such as maintaining tidy storage of office consumables, replenishment of first aid consumables, unpacking stationery, checking and updating noticeboards
• Supporting project staff with preparation of materials, e.g. photocopying and laminating display items
• Distributing and dispatching mail