‘I have been volunteering with Devon Wildlife Trust since January 2012 to supplement my studies for a foundation degree in Countryside Management. Up until very recently I’ve been carrying out the rewarding role of Wildlife Information Officer for DWT’s Helpdesk service, based at Cricklepit Mill in Exeter. This involved working with a great team of staff and volunteers answering wildlife related enquiries from the public. Through this experience I have not only developed my wildlife knowledge, my organisational and communicational skills, but have also made some great friends.
Alongside this I have also been volunteering on the Trust’s Grazing Links project as a Grazing Assistant. I am thoroughly enjoying all aspects of this role, from practical tasks such as stock management and machinery care to site assessments and survey work. I feel fortunate to be learning from very experienced members of staff who have really helped me develop my knowledge and skills in an area I am particularly passionate about and hoping to become more involved in as part of my future career.
I would highly recommend volunteering for Devon Wildlife Trust especially if you are looking to gain employment within the conservation sector. Not only are the staff friendly and supportive, they also treat you as a valued member of the team. I am often invited to team meetings and staff training days, the latter of which has provided some excellent networking opportunities with external bodies such as Natural England and the Environment Agency. All in all, volunteering with the Trust is very rewarding on many levels!’
‘To be honest I can’t remember how I first became aware that Devon Wildlife Trust was needing volunteer millers – perhaps it was from an open-day, because if I had heard that the mill was open I would certainly have gone in for a snoop. Why? Because I am thrilled by cogs and alternative forms of energy – what they have at Cricklepit Mill is a neat combination of both my fixations.
‘One year to explore Devon’s most beautiful wildlife habitats, the aim to become a qualified ecologist surveyor and botanist.
In 2009 I found myself unemployed for the first time in my life. I realised that I needed to keep myself busy, keep my spirits up, and not have a gap on my CV. Volunteering seemed the best way to do this.
Long term nature reserve volunteers Wendy, Ellie and James report
‘I wonder if, like me, you have often thought about volunteering, but are not able to undertake physical work on the reserves. If you enjoy meeting people, discovering new places, working on your own at times convenient to yourself, then why not try raising money through emptying collecting tins?
‘Since April 2011 I have been on a voluntary placement as a County Wildlife Site (CWS) Trainee. The most unusual County Wildlife Site I surveyed was at Paignton Zoo. You don’t normally expect to see a Cheetah on a lowland meadow! 
‘I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with Devon Wildlife Trust. Being a recent graduate I am looking to begin my career in the conservation sector and the Volunteer Estate Worker position will enable me to gain invaluable practical experience which will aid me immeasurably in the future. It is wonderful that Devon Wildlife Trust are able to provide such opportunities for people new in the conservation sector as without such schemes it would be a lot harder to gain the experience and qualifications necessary to secure a permanent position. Everyone I have met at the Trust has been supportive and friendly. I am thoroughly looking forward to my time here.’
‘I spent my first day of volunteering with rainwater soaking into the knees of my trousers, while I crowded around a small square in the middle of a field with a group of volunteers. Sound like fun? Well actually, it was! I woke up early to head, through the morning drizzle, to Andrew’s Wood nature reserve to join DWT Reserves Officer Jackie Gage and her experienced volunteers to survey wildflower meadows. We carried out four surveys and by the end of the day I had learnt a lot of new plants. I even had to avoid some inquisitive horses that liked the taste of plant identification books, DWT now own a book with a lovely set of teeth marks in one corner. A fun and interesting day of volunteering!’