Volunteer Lock-Keeper (woodlesford VLKs)

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

Job summary

Join a volunteer role as a lock keeper with Canal & River Trust, maintaining the historic waterways while enjoying the outdoors. This self-supervised position supports boaters and involves light maintenance tasks. Perfect for individuals seeking to meet local volunteers and learn new skills from April to October.

Benefits

Meet other local volunteers

Learn new skills

Discover additional volunteering opportunities

Qualifications

• Anyone over 18 with at least one day a week available can join.
• Enthusiasm and willingness to learn are key qualities.

Responsibilities

• Assisting boaters through the locks.
• General light maintenance of the lock and surrounding area.
• Maintaining cleanliness and functionality of the area.

Skills

Great communication skills

Practical skills

Teamworking skills

Job description

Join us at Woodlesford and Fishpond Lock on the Aire/Calder to be part of a growing number of like-minded people who enjoy being outdoors and help us maintain this historic waterway as a volunteer lock keeper.

The role involves assisting boaters if required, general light maintenance of the lock and surrounding area, painting lock hardware and fencing, grass cutting, weeding, and keeping the area free from litter for all to enjoy. Once volunteers are confident in the role, it will be a self-supervised opportunity, with full support from a Canal & River Trust team leader.

The opportunity can be attended at your convenience once confident, but initially on a weekday.

Why we want you

Lock keepers have been a fixture on Britain’s canals for hundreds of years and are one of the oldest traditions of the waterways. As ‘the face of the waterway’, modern volunteer lock keepers play an integral part in the visitor experience. Their role is to provide a polite and friendly welcome to waterway visitors, assist boaters through the locks, and help maintain the area.

This is a perfect opportunity for those who enjoy working outdoors and want to support the Canal & River Trust. The key qualities we’re looking for are enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. Anyone over 18 with at least one day a week available can join. Following selection, training, and induction, the role is expected to commence around April and run through October, with possible local variations.

What you will be doing

• Helping boats through the locks
• Talking to customers
• Litter picking and minor vegetation works
• Declaring any unspent convictions during registration and participating in risk assessments as needed

The skills you need

• Great communication skills — talking to people
• Practical skills — minor maintenance to ensure lock functionality
• Teamworking skills — working independently at times but primarily as part of a team

What's in it for you

• Meet other local volunteers, learn new skills, and discover additional volunteering opportunities if interested