Help conserve our natural heritage
Withymead is a gem, which we want to share with you. Our volunteer team help with conservation and events, and new volunteers with specialist or generalist skills are always welcome. Volunteers are an important and valued part of what we do and are involved in many aspects of our work at Withymead, and Little Meadow too. In fact, we are staffed entirely by unpaid volunteers, including our current resident wardens Pete Morton and Jade Van Der Merwe, who were appointed in September 2019.
Volunteers are from all walks of life and support us with habitat management, welcoming visitors on open days, serving tea and cake from the study centre, and repairing and conserving our built heritage. Specific tasks have included cutting reed and meadow, planting trees and hedgerows, maintaining the gardens and grounds, fences and bridges. Volunteers have also helped us record and monitor wildlife and water quality, construct reptile habitats, and assist with events, administration, marketing and fundraising. What unites everyone who visits is their deep and profound connection with this special place by the Thames.
Get involved
Want to know more and become part of a friendly and dedicated team and meet like-minded people?
Perhaps you are new to the area or life has changed and you’d like to make new friends. Friendly and good at engaging with people and offering a warm welcome? Perhaps you’d like to join us on our regular open days to greet and meet visitors or serve refreshments on our cream tea Sundays. Do you have an eye for a terrific story, the perfect image, and like writing great copy? Are you seeking to gain experience or keen to share your experience in social media, marketing and communications?
You sound just right to help keep us in the public eye, even during our winter season when we close for essential maintenance. Like to work outside and get involved in habitat management and surveys? Come along to our regular monthly volunteer morning on the reserve – and Little Meadow when needed.
Get started
We are lucky to have a strong group of existing volunteers and their commitment and enthusiasm help us to achieve many things during the year.
If you have a particular skill – or none –take a look at our volunteer agreement and complete our volunteer form and send it by email or by post to Volunteering, Withymead Nature Reserve, Bridle Way, Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire RG8 OHS.
Questions? Get in touch and select ‘Volunteer’ in the subject line.
Get in touch