Conservation Volunteer (Diggle portal maintenance team.)

Canal & River Trust; Diggle; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Join the Canal & River Trust as a Conservator Volunteer and play a vital role in maintaining the beauty and accessibility of the waterways. Engage in tasks from gardening to graffiti removal, while benefiting personally through outdoor activities, skill development, and community involvement.

Benefits

Spending time outdoors

Learning new skills (some with external accreditation)

Meeting new and friendly people

Being part of a supportive team

Seeing improvements to your wellbeing

Responsibilities

• Day-to-day maintenance of the area around the tunnel portal.
• Heritage restoration activities.
• Graffiti removal and environmental enhancements.
• Creating new access points.

Skills

Willingness to learn new skills

Ability to travel to remote locations

Job description

Standedge tunnel is the longest, highest, and deepest canal tunnel in the UK. It runs between Marsden and Diggle and is one of the seven wonders of the waterways.

We are looking for volunteers to join our small team to develop the area around the tunnel portal at Diggle to create a more welcoming space for visitors to the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

The role will involve a range of tasks including gardening, painting, hard landscaping, and maintenance.

Join us today to become a Conservator Volunteer and be part of the team keeping history alive by preserving our waterways and helping to maintain our structures and assets.

Whether it’s working on pre-planned maintenance, cutting back vegetation around aqueducts, or tackling graffiti in urban locations, our Conservators do a fantastic job of ensuring the beauty of our waterways.

This is a great opportunity to make a difference in your community while learning more about the canals in your area.

Why we want you

Our Conservator volunteers help maintain our network, carrying out heritage and nature conservation activities, as well as tasks like painting or litter picking to improve the local environment.

They help tackle tough issues on the waterways, ensuring the canal is accessible and well-maintained. Your support will help us manage challenges and keep canals alive.

Some tasks are regular, while others are project-based, such as rebuilding stone walls or planting, allowing flexible participation.

What you will be doing

• Day-to-day maintenance
• Heritage restoration
• Graffiti removal
• Environmental enhancements like hedgelaying
• Creating new access points with improved steps or ramps

When registering as a volunteer, we will ask about any unspent convictions for risk assessment purposes.

The skills you need

• Willingness to learn new skills
• Ability to travel to remote locations

What's in it for you

• Spending time outdoors
• Learning new skills (some with external accreditation)
• Keeping fit
• Meeting new and friendly people
• Being part of a supportive team
• Seeing improvements to your wellbeing