Conservation Volunteer (Ripon Canal Team)

Canal & River Trust; Ripon; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

An environmental organization in Ripon is seeking volunteers to help maintain the canal and surrounding waterways. As a Conservator Volunteer, you will engage in various tasks such as day-to-day maintenance, restoring heritage features, and enhancing the environment. Ideal candidates should be physically fit and willing to learn new skills while working with others and supporting local waterways.

Benefits

Spending time outdoors

Learning new skills

Meeting new and friendly people

Being part of a supportive team

Qualifications

• Interest in waterways and good physical fitness.
• Flexibility to work independently or as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Maintenance of the canal and nearby river navigations.
• Litter picking and greeting customers.
• Engaging in heritage restoration activities.

Skills

Willing to learn new skills

Ability to travel to remote locations

Job description

Overview

We are looking for new volunteers to join our team on the Ripon canal and the nearby river navigations. Under the guidance of Julie, our local operative, you will help with a wide range of tasks, from managing vegetation to greeting customers on the towpath. No two days will be the same! Whether it’s helping a boat through the lock, talking to customers, litter picking or undertaking vegetation works, you can make a real difference to the local waterways. To carry out this role, you’ll ideally have an interest in the waterway and a good level of physical fitness. The most important attributes are an ability to interact with and help others and flexibility to work on your own or with others. We are looking for people to volunteer Monday - Thursday, ideally one day a week.

Why we want you

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

Our Conservator Volunteers help to tackle some of our toughest issues on the waterways, ensuring as much of the canal is accessible and well maintained as possible. Each year we face new challenges in managing our increasingly popular space and your support as a Conservator Volunteer will help to achieve our goals in keeping canals alive.

Whilst we have regular teams carrying out important tasks, some run on more of a ‘project’ basis to achieve specific activities (rebuilding a section of stone wall or carrying out some mass planting) meaning that different people can give their time in different ways.

What you will be doing

• Day to day maintenance
• Heritage restoration
• Graffiti Removal
• Environmental enhancements such as hedgelaying
• Creating new access points by building or improved steps or ramps
• When you register as a volunteer, we will ask you about any unspent convictions which you need to declare and risk assess these as needs be.

The skills you need

• Willing 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 of colleagues and volunteers
• Seeing improvements to your wellbeing