Based at Mendip Hills AONB Service Office, Charterhouse Centre, Nr Blagdon.
22 hours per week - Fixed Term Contract until February 2009 to cover for maternity leave
Salary: £9,643 - £10,958 p.a. (pay award pending)
We are looking for a person who can involve local people in conserving and enhancing the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The People and Places Project is supported by Natural England and aims to involve new and existing volunteers with the National Trust, Somerset Wildlife Trust and the AONB Service. You will continue to develop and promote a coordinated volunteer programme. You will have excellent communication skills and experience of working with volunteers. You should possess an HND or equivalent in community development or countryside experience.
For an informal discussion about this post contact Sarah Jackson AONB Manager on 01761 463357.
Closing date: 3rd July Interview date: 18th July
Full application details can be found here and going to all jobs.
Volunteering
Press Release May 2008 New Partnership helps to keep Mendip looking stunning
A new partnership is to set to take volunteering opportunities on the Mendip Hills to a new level with the People & Places Project. The Somerset Wildlife Trust, The National Trust, the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Natural England are working together to help everybody get involved.
The sites managed by these organisations are some of the most fantastic in an area that is already ‘Outstanding’ including Deer Leap, Cheddar Gorge and Draycott Sleights. The wildlife of many of these special places is managed so that unusual species are not lost and these locations remain as picturesque as they are today.
All the organisations currently have their own dedicated volunteers, some of them may volunteer for more than one of the partners already, but for many who are keen to enhance their countryside skills, or just enjoy working in the fantastic setting of the Mendip Hills the opportunity to do more doesn’t come round often enough!
Natural England & Somerset County Council are supporting the partnership and a volunteer programme is currently being developed in conjunction with some training opportunities. The new partnership aims to enhance the environment for wildlife in a traditional and rewarding way. The kind of opportunities that will be on offer are; hedge laying, dry stone walling, coppicing, scrub clearance, footpath repairs, ragwort removal, survey and transect work or guided walking. Please see www.mendiphills.org.uk volunteering page or call the AONB Service on 01761 463458.
Once the volunteer programme is in place everyone is welcome to come along and join in with activities whether you are an existing volunteer or keen to try something new.
Welcome to our volunteering page!
You and the countryside can benefit greatly from volunteering activities that enhance the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
We hope that there is something of interest here for you but if not please visit again. We will be continually updating this page as new opportunities come on line.
Across the Mendip Hills AONB there are many groups and individuals volunteering their time on sites and projects that conserve and enhance the area. Mendip Society, Hawk and Owl Trust, Charterhouse Environs Research Team (CHERT), village groups, National Trust, Avon and Somerset Wildlife Trusts to name just a few. Visit the Links (www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk/links.php) page to contact them.
The Mendip Hills AONB Service has a long history of working with volunteers through the Volunteer Rangers, specific projects like Lifelines and work experience. The AONB Partnership (www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk/partnership.php) committee and sub groups include volunteers that assist with ideas and feedback on the future of the area.
Volunteer Rangers
The work of the AONB Service has been supported by Volunteer Rangers since 1987. Currently sixty rangers help with a wide range of jobs in support of the conservation and enhancement of the AONB. The Rangers all come with different interests and knowledge that they contribute while learning new skills themselves.
Volunteer Rangers help with general patrolling, undertaking surveys, guided walks with visitors to Charterhouse Centre, assisting the Avon and Somerset Search and Rescue Team, litter picking and helping on the information trailer at country fairs and shows. The Rangers add a huge amount of value to the Mendip Hills AONB Service, contributing some 3000 hours each year equating to 2 full time posts.
Future volunteering opportunities – Mendip Hills People and Places Projects
We want to make it easier for people to get involved in looking after the Mendip Hills. Thanks to a grant from Natural England the AONB Service is working with the National Trust and Somerset Wildlife Trust to coordinate current volunteering opportunities, and this web page is just the start.
We know people want to get involved in practical conservation tasks, research and monitoring, recreation and events, helping visitors, and doing guided walks and talks. We want to make all this available in a simple way that benefits you and the Mendip Hills AONB.
The Mendip Hills AONB People and Places Project will began on 1st April 2008 - Merryn Nisbet was appointed as the People and Places Officer. The two year pilot project will develop a programme of volunteering opportunities focusing on practical tasks on land owned by the three key partners.
You will find the first programme of activities Here
