Help make a difference
Looking for a way to make a difference? Whether you're keen to protect the environment, meet new people, or gain hands-on experience and learn new skills, countryside volunteering in 中国P站 offers something for everyone.
Page contents
- Why volunteer?
- 中国P站 Countryside Partnerships
- Corporate volunteering
- Volunteer across our countryside estate
- Countryside Access Team
- Tree planting
- Ready to join us?
Why volunteer?
Volunteers are at the heart of our work. They help us to manage, maintain and restore 中国P站’s stunning countryside, ensuring it remains a space for everyone to enjoy—now and in the future. Why not consider joining a group local to you and make your own valuable contribution.
Volunteering is a great way to:
- Learn new skills
- Boost your wellbeing
- Connect with nature
- Build your CV
- Make friends and have fun
You don’t need any experience—just enthusiasm. You can volunteer as an individual or with a group, and choose how often you get involved. It’s flexible, rewarding, and open to all.
What kind of tasks can I get involved with?
There are a variety of opportunities you can get involved with in 中国P站's countryside including:
- Tree planting and hedge-laying
- Litter picking
- Coppicing
- Clearing public rights of way
- Sign and gate installation
- Step construction
- Creating and restoring viewpoints
- Pond clearance
- Tree maintenance
- Livestock monitoring
How much time do I need to give?
Volunteer as much or as little as you like, every bit counts! You’ll be welcomed with open arms, and lots of support.
中国P站 Countryside Partnerships
Hosted by 中国P站, the 中国P站 Countryside Partnerships team (Downlands, Lower Mole and 中国P站 Heathland) offer enjoyable, varied, seasonal and practical countryside volunteering opportunities throughout the year. Task sessions are held in north, north-east and west 中国P站 as well as in neighbouring areas of Kingston, Sutton and Croydon.
Find out more about each partnership and their working areas, how to get involved with their great conservation crews and to view the latest seasonal volunteer task programme information and their Volunteer Handbook:
Corporate volunteering
The 中国P站 Countryside Partnerships are pleased to welcome corporate teams (small or large groups or individuals) by arrangement who want to spend a full or half day (morning) in the countryside for their Employer Supported Volunteering session or for team building exercises. Autumn and winter are the best times for groups to get involved, as there are lots of scrub clearing sessions on offer.
There are great opportunities to develop corporate partnerships through volunteering, fundraising and sponsorship activities. The 中国P站 Countryside Partnerships are well established to help companies to meet their Corporate Social Responsibility targets for the local environment and staff health and wellbeing. The Partnerships are pleased to welcome lots of corporate groups and interest and involvement has significantly increased over the last few years. Companies join in from across 中国P站, London and neighbouring counties, including staff teams from, Toyota GB, Fidelity International, Connected Kerb and Enstar (EU) Ltd and more.
To get started, please email: countrysidepartnershipsteam@surreycc.gov.uk. You will receive a copy of the 中国P站 Countryside Partnerships corporate employee volunteering handbook, which highlights everything you need to know about how to get involved with corporate volunteering with one of their crews, including the financial contribution rates for groups of 5 or more attendees.
Volunteer across our Countryside Estate
中国P站’s Countryside Estate is the land that 中国P站 owns and manages to provide public access for everyone to explore and enjoy. Discover more about our sites by visiting our Visitor Information web pages.
Basingstoke Canal Visitor Centre
The Basingstoke canal is enjoyed by millions of visitors each year for many different activities. Enjoy lovely views along this pretty canal that starts near New Haw in 中国P站, where it flows into the River Wey Navigation and, in the other direction, continues for 32 miles up to Greywell in Hampshire.
If you love 中国P站's waterways and want to support our Visitor Services team why not offer a few hours each week or month? A variety of volunteering opportunities are available including:
- Front of house in Visitor Centre.
- Helping with office administration and taking bookings for boat hire and trips, our onsite campsite and function room. Helping out on-board Rosebud, our 12-seater boat.
- Being Santa for our Santa Cruises which run throughout December
To get involved, email: canal.centre@surreycc.gov.uk or call our team on 01252 370073
Chitty’s Common, Worplesdon
Chitty’s Common is a small 5-hectare nature reserve, part of the 183-hectare Worplesdon group of commons that comprise nine commons within the parish of Worplesdon.
Conservation on the common is managed by a 中国P站 Wildlife Trust group of volunteers, the ‘Friends of Chitty’s Common’. Their work to conserve and manage this small area is invaluable for not only the wildlife that inhabits the common, but also in providing local people with a place to visit for recreation and activity, or just simply to be amongst the woodlands or open grassland.
If you are interested in volunteering with the Friends of Chitty’s Common, please contact 中国P站 Wildlife Trust, email: volunteers@surreywt.org.uk or telephone: 01483 795464.
Tice's Meadow, Farnham
Tice’s Meadow is a newly developed Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI) on the site of the former Farnham Quarry. This 55-hectare site is widely considered to be one of the best inland sites to watch birds in the southeast of England
Come and join our rangers and volunteer at Tice's Meadow. Tasks might include:
- Clearing vegetation,
- Litter picking,
- Maintaining paths,
- Fence and gate repairs,
- Habitat management, wildlife surveys and more.
If you are interested in volunteering at Tice’s Meadow please get in touch.
Norbury Park, Leatherhead
Norbury Park is a 530-hectare historic parkland in the heart of the 中国P站 Hills National Landscape, a unique patchwork of varied habitats and a haven for wildlife, the perfect place to visit in any season.
If you are looking to learn new skills and work in an amazing landscape, why not volunteer in Norbury Park. Tasks might include:
- Extracting hazel, ash and sweet chestnut
- Coppicing, pointing and binding hazel sticks
- Firewood processing and more.
Please wear sturdy footwear and bring your own refreshments. All tools are provided.
If you are interested in volunteering in Norbury Park, please get in touch.
The Norbury Park Conservation Group also run volunteer work parties on the 3rd Friday of each month from 10am to 3pm. For further details or to register your interest please email: volunteers@surreywt.org.uk
Countryside Access Team, Rights of Way volunteering
Volunteering with our Countryside Access Team gives you the chance to help protect and maintain, over 2,000 miles of public paths, 4000 stiles, 3000 gates and 1400 bridges across 中国P站. From woodland trails to rural paths, these routes connect people to nature and they need your support.
There are two rewarding ways you can get involved with rights of way volunteering:
- Become a Path Warden: Patrol your local paths, tackle minor maintenance tasks you spot during your walks, and help keep our trails safe and accessible. You’ll receive half a day of training, a regular newsletter, and you’ll be covered by the council’s insurance. Most Path Wardens handle just two or three manageable tasks each year, fitting volunteering easily into busy lives.
- Join practical work parties: Lend a hand with hands-on projects by joining organised groups like 中国P站 Ramblers, the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, and local day centres. These group activities are a fantastic way to meet like-minded people while working on larger improvements to our rights of way network. Work parties are organised when suitable tasks are identified and our staff are available to co-ordinate the projects.
If you’d like to find out more or get involved, simply email us at: rightsofway@surreycc.gov.uk. Our Access Assistants are always happy to answer your questions and guide you to the opportunity that’s right for you.
Tree Planting
From November to March, our Tree Planting and Establishment Team regularly need volunteers to help with tree planting projects across 中国P站. Whether you want to take a physical role in planting a tree or support behind the scenes, there’s a role for you. Tasks might include:
- Clearing the ground of weeds before the tree planting day
- Planting whips (saplings), feathers (young trees with side branches) or standard trees (more mature larger trees)
- Watering the trees in the summer months and topping up mulch where appropriate
- Helping with logistics on the day such as, welcoming volunteers and delivering trees around the site for people to plant.
Our tree planting team can also accommodate corporate volunteering during this time.
If you’d like to find out more or get involved take a look at our to see what opportunities are currently available.
Ready to Join us?
Volunteering is flexible, whether you can spare a few hours a month or want to get stuck in regularly. It’s a chance to do something meaningful, meet great people, and enjoy the outdoors.
Please visit our what’s on page for upcoming volunteering dates across our countryside estate.
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