Not sure whether to volunteer? Here’s some advice from a current member of the team:
“Finding some spare time on my hands, I wanted to do something worthwhile, something exciting, something I had never done before. Having been in an office all my working life, I decided the great outdoors was where I should go next. Just to see. I have always loved walking, and am passionate about living in Somerset, so the Mendip Hills National Landscape seemed a good place to start.
“My first foray into volunteering ended up being to help to build a dry stone wall on one of the reserves near Cheddar, the site of a Roman lead works. I prepared everything the day before, clothes, lunch, the all important flask of tea. I couldn’t believe my luck when the day dawned, the sun rising high in the sky, an absolute perfect summer’s day.
“The group were really welcoming, and I learned a lot that day; about dry stone walling, Roman ruins, teamwork and quite a bit about myself too. My career had tied me to a laptop for hours a day; I found I absolutely loved doing practical things, being outdoors, learning new skills, and I was just about passable at it. The group leaders were very knowledgeable about the site, which I didn’t even know existed, despite living in Somerset most of my adult life.
“So to anyone thinking about joining Mendip Hills National Landscape as a volunteer, I would say just do it!”
Fi, Mendip Hills Volunteer