I recently volunteered for a local conservation charity - BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers) and I did some work with them in tidying up and helping landscape Coldfall Wood and Lordship Recreation Ground.
The charity was set up in 1959, and has a successful history of environmental conservation volunteering throughout the UK. One of their values is to ensure that they help maintain a sustained environmental improvement: A healthy environment and improved biodiversity is at the heart of all BTCV's activities
Working with and supporting BTCV has been a really rewarding experience and has made me feel like I'm contributing something worthwhile to our local community and at the same time helped me to build my own self-confidence, learn new skills and meet new people.
BTCV is almost entirely reliant on voluntary donations. The work they do is only made possible by people who pro-actively want to make a difference to their community and environment.
The organisation's mission is to create a more sustainable future by inspiring people and improving places, which in this day and age I feel is more important than ever.
BTCV have been developed through four decades of a 'hands-on' approach to conservation activities. During this time they have very much adapted they way in which they work to meet the changing needs of communities, however their key values remain and are central to the continuing valuable work they carry out in local open spaces.
I can't recommend this organisation highly enough and if anyone is looking to do some good with their spare time, I recommend visiting BTCV's website where you will find all the information you'll need to get involved!
http://www2.btcv.org.uk read more