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Many hands help nature thrive: volunteers in the spotlight

This Volunteers Week, we're celebrating our fantastic community of volunteers across Durham Wildlife Trust, and sharing how they support our work for nature.

Like us, our volunteers share a passion for wildlife, conservation and broadening awareness of how important it is to protect previous wild spaces.  To celebrate all that they do, we’re shining a spotlight on some of our wonderful volunteers, as they explain why they turn up, week in, week out, to support what we do and how their dedication makes a massive impact to what we can achieve.

A year in numbers

All year-round, our volunteers make an outstanding contribution to Durham Wildlife Trust and nature’s recovery. From helping with the conservation work on nature reserves and projects, to running the gift shops and assisting with office administration, the Trust simply couldn’t do what it does without the support of volunteers. Over the past year, more than 463 volunteers have actively contributed nearly 30,000 volunteer hours collectively across Durham Wildlife Trust. To celebrate Volunteers’ Week, we would like to say a huge thank you to each and every one of our volunteers for their time, dedication and support in helping to achieve the Trust’s mission to conserve local wildlife. Their contributions make a significant impact and inspire others to take action for nature. 

Spotlight on our volunteers

We asked our volunteers to share with us why they chose to support our work. Here is what they said.

A smiling volunteer wearing glasses and a red jacket stands behind a counter at a Durham Wildlife Trust visitor centre. On the counter are a donation tin, a barcode scanner, and wildlife-themed merchandise including plush squirrels. Behind her, a wooden cabinet displays mugs and gifts, with framed artwork of a red squirrel and a robin on top. Posters about bird feeding guidance and volunteer wildlife sightings are visible on the wall.

Fiona, gift shop volunteer.

Fiona

Fiona is a regular gift shop volunteer and occasional conservation volunteer – when time permits!

Fiona says: “I started volunteering to give something back now I have more time to do so. I specifically volunteer for Durham Wildlife Trust because it’s a really good cause and I want to do something to help the environment and nature and to give something back. If we all did a little something to help then nature would have a better chance. My role in the shop also helps raise funds to support the Trust’s work.”

Favourite part of volunteering: Meeting people who come in the shop. All sorts of different people call in. Some of the visitors are regulars so I get to know them. Sometimes I’m surprised by how far people have come to visit the nature reserve.  Often, people who call into the shop are on their first visit to the nature reserve and I am able to share lots of information about the reserve; what to see and where to go. It is then nice to see the same people come back again when you’ve been their first contact. 

A woman wearing a knitted hat with a pom‑pom and a patterned scarf smiles for a selfie on a grassy hill overlooking a town. The landscape below shows rooftops, trees, and distant tall buildings under a clear blue sky, suggesting a crisp, sunny day.

Catriona, Nextdoor Nature volunteer.

Catriona 

Catriona is a Nextdoor Nature volunteer, supporting our work in communities.

Catriona says: “I took part in the recent City of Nature Challenge and co-led a session using iNaturalist; teaching University of Sunderland students how to use iNaturalist. This led me to volunteer with the Trust. I volunteer to meet people, be active in community, for the exercise and to get outdoors."

Favourite part of volunteering: I'm quite a knowledge-based person and I like to learn new things and share this knowledge with others and meet new people.

A person wearing a green jumper and black trousers stands smiling beside a small garden pond surrounded by rocks, white gravel, and flowering plants. Behind them, tall birch trees and dense green shrubs with white blossoms create a lush backdrop under a partly cloudy sky.

Matthew Jobes, Nextdoor Nature volunteer

Matthew 

Matthew is a Nextdoor Nature volunteer, supporting our work in communities

Matthew says:  “I volunteer at various places, including Durham Wildlife Trust, helping with community garden planting of herbs and vegetables and with litter picking. I am a member of Durham Wildlife Trust with my family and volunteer because I love nature and like to meet new friends.”

Favourite part of volunteering:  I enjoy meeting new friends,  having a cup of tea and learning about nature.

A smiling person wearing a navy waterproof jacket, orange high‑visibility vest, and life jacket stands on a muddy estuary or tidal flat. They have binoculars around their neck and blue gloves on their hands. Beneath them is a pink board with a metal grid and a surveying instrument resting on top, used for fieldwork. The background shows wide mudflats, shallow water, and distant greenery under a bright, partly cloudy sky.

Rose, seagrass monitoring volunteer.

Rose 

Rose is a seagrass monitoring volunteer.

Rose says: “I go out on day trips with Martina for the seagrass monitoring project. We go out to various coastal locations and take measurements of various mud/tidal conditions to see if the seagrass will like it. I also do some other Durham Wildlife Trust volunteer sessions and workshops. Nature and ecology is my favourite thing in the world and it makes me happy to feel like I am helping out a bit, getting involved, and learning about practical conservation projects. Also, I just love being outdoors all day in cool places with lots of interesting nature. There are endlessly more things to see and learn about.”

Favourite part of volunteering: I like birdwatching: I especially enjoy doing the bird surveys as there seem to be new interesting species every time. Also looking at plants and insects. Other than that, it is inherently fun to walk around in deep mud in wellies, this is the deepest mud I've ever seen in my life, what a great privilege! Mud is fun.

A person kneels on a sandy estuary shore wearing waterproof field gear, a black beanie, orange life vest, and blue gloves. They hold a clear sample tube while examining its contents. A pink board and a white grid frame used for ecological sampling lie nearby. Muddy boots and a backpack suggest active fieldwork. Behind them, calm water and grassy banks stretch under a partly cloudy sky.

Duncan, seagrass monitoring volunteer.

Duncan 

Duncan is a seagrass monitoring volunteer and also supports our conservation work.

Duncan says: “I appreciate that I can dip in and out of volunteering when it suits, which allowed me to fit it around caring commitments. I really enjoy getting out and about in the outdoors and meeting people and learning new things.”

Favourite part of volunteering: There is so much knowledge out there to learn from other volunteers and staff.

Volunteers wearing waterproof jackets, hats, and gloves work together outdoors on a muddy hillside, constructing a wooden fence. They are positioning upright posts and weaving thinner branches between them. A wheelbarrow stands nearby, and leafless trees and grassy slopes appear in the background under a grey, overcast sky.

Simon, Links with Nature volunteer.

Simon 

Simon is a conservation volunteer, supporting our work on the Links with Nature project.

Simon says: “I volunteer to meet and work with others who have a common love of nature. I particularly like volunteering with the Links with Nature project as it allows me to give back to places and communities I know well. I feel privileged to be able to try and provide a small contribution towards improving the environment for these communities in the future.”

Favourite part of volunteering: Working together as a team, sharing our finds, both natural and historical and making a difference together.

A smiling man wearing a dark jacket, black trousers, and sturdy boots stands on a garden path beside a small pond surrounded by rocks, white gravel, and flowering plants. Behind him, tall birch trees and dense green shrubs with white blossoms fill the background under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.

Les, conservation volunteer.

Les

Les is a conservation volunteer and supports our community garden work.

Les says: “I volunteer because I love wildlife and gardening and showing people why I enjoy it.”

Favourite part of volunteering: The kick and enjoyment people get from getting involved in the gardening, some for the first time. Hopefully it puts a place in their mind and heart to preserve nature for all of us in the future.

A smiling person wearing a dark jacket and cap stands among dense green vegetation, holding a handful of pulled plants. The jacket displays “RHS Britain in Bloom” and “South West in Bloom” logos, suggesting involvement in a community gardening or conservation project. Tall leafy plants and shrubs surround them, creating a lush, wild backdrop under a cloudy sky.

Stuart, conservation volunteer.

Stuart 

Stuart is a conservation volunteer.

 

Stuart says: “Since I became a volunteer for Durham Wildlife Trust earlier this year, I have enjoyed partaking in numerous, varied tasks at the reserves in North Durham. Having retired from full time employment, I decided that I have some time to offer my assistance to the community and because I love nature, the Wildlife Trust is an obvious choice. I am so pleased that I made the decision to find out more about Durham Wildlife Trust, because my experiences during the last few months have surpassed my expectations.”

Favourite part of volunteering:  Everyone I have met has been friendly, helpful and treat each other with respect. The activities are varied, well organised, keep me fit and active, whilst learning about different tasks and their objectives. I'm finding out about new places where I can go in my leisure time to enjoy the countryside and all it has to offer.

A smiling person wearing a blue jacket and shorts stands in a muddy paddock with two dark brown ponies. One pony is held by a blue lead rope, while the other stands nearby. The person’s jacket features a Durham Wildlife Trust logo, suggesting a conservation or animal care setting. Behind them, wooden fencing encloses the field, with green trees and cloudy sky in the background.

Jo, pony warden volunteer.

Jo 

Jo is a pony warden volunteer.

Jo says: “What I enjoy about the work is helping to make any pony move go as smoothly as possible.”

Favourite part of volunteering: Helping out on any pony related practical jobs like fencing, and ragwort pulling to help maintain the grazing sites. 

Two people work outdoors beside a small stream clearing fallen branches. The person in the foreground wears a brown jacket, blue trousers, gloves, and rubber boots, using a long metal pole to move a moss‑covered tree trunk lying across the water. Another person in a blue jacket stands behind, handling branches among leafless shrubs. The ground is muddy and covered with winter vegetation.

Stephen, conservation volunteer.

Stephen

Stephen is a conservation volunteer, working in our Northern Task Force and with the Links with Nature project. 
 

Stephen says: "I volunteer to improve the local habitat, learn new skills and meet people."

Favourite part of volunteering: Visiting new sites, seeing how our previous handiwork is standing up. Meeting friends. 

A man wearing a bright orange high‑visibility vest, dark trousers, gloves, and sunglasses stands on grassy terrain beside a lake and rolling hills. He’s smiling while carrying several pale green plastic tubes, with a large pile of similar tubes lying on the ground nearby. The scene shows outdoor conservation or maintenance work under a clear blue sky.

Steven, conservation volunteer.

Steven

Steven is a conservation volunteer and helps with work the Trust supports at various reserves including Low Barns and Deepdale Nature Reserve in Barnard Castle.

Steven says: "I enjoy volunteering with Durham Wildlife Trust as the sessions are good and I enjoy working hard."

Favourite part of volunteering: Making good friends.

A person stands on a pebbly beach under a partly cloudy sky, holding a blue rubbish bag and a litter picker. They wear a dark green jacket, yellow T‑shirt, grey joggers, black trainers, and a black cap. Waves roll gently behind them, suggesting a coastal clean‑up activity.

Lewis, conservation volunteer.

Lewis

Lewis volunteers across a range of our projects, including Links with Nature, Heart of Durham and on our beach cleans.

Lewis says: "I volunteer because I want to help look after local areas and meet new people."

Favourite part of volunteering: Seeing wildlife and learning new things.

Ian

Ian volunteers on our Links with Nature project.

Ian says: "Making a difference to the environment is important as well as being able to see the fruits of our labour e.g. Flint Mill where residents thank us for improving their environment. I totally enjoy this camaraderie with fellow volunteers & staff who are a pleasure to work with."

Favourite part of volunteering: I enjoy the craic, getting out into the fresh air and also being able to assist Durham Wildlife Trust with their purpose of looking after the wildlife and environment. 

Become a volunteer

Volunteers play an integral role in what we do. But it’s much more than that to those who join us. It’s also a wonderful way to socialise and become part of an invaluable team. If you would like to volunteer with us, find out more below.

Volunteer with Durham Wildlife Trust

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