Conservation Volunteer (Weekday Support)

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

Job summary

Join the Canal & River Trust as a Conservator Volunteer and make a hands-on contribution to the upkeep of vital waterways. This role involves assisting with maintenance tasks, conservation activities, and learning alongside an experienced team, offering a valuable experience for personal growth and community impact.

Benefits

Full training and tools provided

Develop new skills with potential accreditation

Positive impacts on mental and physical health

Being part of a supportive team

Opportunities to meet new people

Qualifications

• No specific educational requirements stated.
• Open to anyone willing to help and learn.

Responsibilities

• Assist with water control and boat rescues.
• Help with towpath maintenance and practical tasks.
• Day to day maintenance, heritage restoration, and environmental enhancements.

Skills

Willing to learn new skills

Ability to travel to remote locations

Job description

Weekday Support for Canal & River Trust. Are you looking for a hands-on way to make a difference? Join our East London team and help maintain our waterways one day a month on the River Stort and River Lee.

Why It Matters: Our canals and rivers are vital for wildlife, heritage, and local communities, but they need care to thrive. By volunteering, you’ll play a key role in preserving these essential spaces while helping others enjoy their benefits. Spending time by the water is also great for mental and physical health, offering a sense of calm and connection with nature.

What You’ll Do:

• Assist with water control and boat rescues.
• Help with towpath maintenance and practical tasks.
• Learn about the local waterways while working alongside an experienced team.

What’s Included:

• Full training and all necessary tools provided.
• A chance to develop new skills and build your knowledge of canal operations.
• A valuable experience for anyone looking to grow their skills and make a positive impact.

Where could you be: London East covers Tottenham in the South, all the way up to Hertford in the North West, and Bishop’s Stortford in the North East. Our operational base is at Enfield Lock.

Be part of this exciting opportunity to support the upkeep of our iconic rivers and gain skills that last a lifetime. Apply today to get started!

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 improving steps or ramps

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