Call for young volunteer countryside rangers

The National Trust in East Devon is on the lookout for new volunteers to help manage some amazing countryside and coast. Whether you love getting your boots muddy and being active rain or shine, or are more at home welcoming visitors, we are seeking people with a passion for their local area.

Find out more at one of our volunteer open days on Sunday 8 March or Saturday 11 April at Branscombe Village Hall.

The National Trust team is based at Branscombe, nestled between Sidmouth and Beer, but covers a much wider area from Honiton to Exmouth. Caring for cliffs, hill forts, heritage sites, beaches and woodland, the volunteer jobs are as varied as the places they look after.

‘We are looking for volunteer countryside rangers to help with coppicing, hedge-laying, strimming, replacing steps and orchard pruning,’ explains Ruby Cole, Area Ranger. ‘We’d also love to create a new beach volunteer group to help welcome visitors to this important part of the Jurassic coastline and we need help from someone who can work from home, creating newsletters for our volunteer team.

‘In addition to these new opportunities we are always on the lookout for more room guides to share their passion for history at Shute Barton, near Axminster and Manor Mill in Branscombe. Depending on the role you don’t need to commit to volunteering every week (although it would be great if you can) and there are options both during the week and at weekends – just come along and have a chat.’

Georgie Toogood has been helping the ranger team for four months and says ‘I like working in a team, learning new skills; and I love the way it makes me feel at the end of the day, healthily tired and happy.’

The two volunteer open days, on Sunday 8 March or Saturday 11 April at Branscombe Village Hall, are between 1pm and 4pm. For more information please contact Ruby Cole on 01297 680507.