As a volunteer you can:
-try your hand at a new skill,
-gain practical work experience and office skills,
-meet new people,
-improve fitness,
-and help your environment
The Sutton Nature Conservation Volunteers welcome volunteers of all ages to help with practical conservation projects like hedge laying, tree planting, pond building, path maintenance, path signing and scrub clearance.
We also need volunteers to help with office based work like producing our task programme, designing leaflets, writing articles, help to maintain our mailing list and even stuffing envelopes when we do our mailing.
In 2007 we are planning to carry out more promotion work to encourage more people to get involved in nature conservation. We run open days and stalls at public events and need volunteers to help.
We also carry out ecological surveying to monitor the effectiveness of our practical work, and need help to put our records into the recorder programme.
We have Volunteer Action Days on some Thursdays to enable volunteers to play a more active role in the conservation work and the running of the Sutton Nature Conservation Volunteers. The work we carry out on these Volunteer Action Days ranges from office based work and site surveying to distribution leaflets and tasks on site.
How can I become a volunteer with the SNCV?
You are welcome to join us on any of our practical workdays. Our task programme (
PDF - 333 KB) lists all the tasks we are going to carry out in the current season. Please have a look and choose a suitable task.
We are currently in the process to built up a mailing list to send out a list of additional tasks that need currently doing. Most of these tasks will be carried out on the Tursday Action Day. However, feel free to contact us if you would like to volunteer but cannot make any of the listed days. Future task programmes can also be found in your local library and are mailed out to SNCV members.
Transport to the tasks is available from the Ecology Centre in Carshalton. You may of course meet us on site if you have your own transport but please inform the task leader when you arrive or leave. It is also advisable to contact the leader before the task as sometimes times and places can change.
You do not have to be particularly fit. We welcome hard workers but you should at your own pace and rest regularly. We have two main breaks (one for tea and one for lunch).
If you are not capable of physical practical work, there are other ways you can help, such as office tasks and open days.
Do I need skills or experience?
No. Volunteering with the SNCV gives you the opportunity to acquire practical conservation skills such as hedge laying or tree planting. We provide ongoing instruction and training ourselves and can also arrange more formal training through other organisations such as BTCV.
We give full training on tool use and the purpose of the day’s work at the beginning of each task. You are welcome to work at your own pace and we have regular tea breaks (with biscuits!).
What do I need to bring?
Although we provide tea, coffee and biscuits you should bring a packed lunch as some of our work sites are a long way from the nearest shops or amenities.
What should I wear?
Practical conservation work can be dirty so you should wear old, comfortable clothes.
For your feet, steel toe-capped boots are ideal, but any sturdy footwear will normally be OK. We have a range of steel toe-capped wellingtons that you can borrow.
As we generally work outdoors in all seasons, you should be prepared for a variety of weather conditions. In winter, layers of thin clothes are better one big thick jumper. This means that you can take off layers as you get warmer while working. A sun hat is recommended for the summer months. You should also bring waterproofs at any time of year.
We provide work gloves and any other protective equipment required, such as helmets or goggles.
What do I do now?
If you want to have a go on practical conservation work just give us a call to let us that you will be there. You can also arrange a meeting with us before coming out on task to find out if practical conservation work is right for you.
Find out what we are doing in the current season in our task programme (PDF - 333 KB), and also to find out about meeting points for practical tasks. Our newsletter gives updates on recent projects and changes in the task programme.
Have a look at our news page (PDF - 64 KB) to see what we have done recently.
As a registered charity the SNCV has a formal structure and membership. You do not have to become a member to join to volunteer with us but we hope that if you enjoy coming out with us you will wish to join. Membership is free.
How to contact the SNCV:
The Sutton Nature Conservation Volunteers are based at
The Sutton Ecology Centre
Festival Walk
Carshalton
Surrey SM5 3NY
Telephone: 020 8770 5821
email: sncv@sutton.gov.uk
