Celebrating our Incredible Volunteers: Volunteers' Week 2026

Our volunteers are the beating heart of the Trust. From conservation to education to social media, our volunteers give their time and skills in countless ways to support all that we do. This Volunteers' Week, we're celebrating the people behind this vital work, asking two of our volunteers to share the stories behind why they do what they do.

Our volunteers are the beating heart of all that we do as a Trust. From carrying out vital maintenance across our reserves, to assisting our education and wellbeing programmes, to providing administrative support and social media content, we simply couldn’t achieve all that we do without the dedication of our volunteers.

But behind every volunteer is a story. A reason why they want to commit countless hours to helping wildlife and people. What they gain from giving their time and skills in this way. So, this Volunteers' Week, we’re going deeper, asking two of our brilliant volunteers why they do what they do.

The adventure of being immersed in nature…

Xanthé started volunteering for the Trust as a Social Media Volunteer, writing brilliant blogs and content to help others learn about Wiltshire’s wildlife. She has gone on to volunteer with our Youth, Education and Wellbeing (YEW) Team, and is now one of our volunteer Wildlife Watch leaders, running monthly activities for primary-aged children. She tells us about her volunteering journey:

Our Volunteer Xanthe helping with an education stand

I’ve been passionate about connecting people to nature from a young age, which is now blossoming into a career path. I love inspiring others to appreciate wildlife and help create experiences for all ages to spend more time outdoors.

Through my volunteer roles with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, I have been lucky to develop transferable skills within the environmental sector whilst sharing my enthusiasm for nature. From writing blogs and social media content on local biodiversity, including marvellous migratory displays and wonderful wildlife meadows, to supporting holiday events with the YEW team.

Other rewarding roles include helping with forest school group activities, such as creating willow walls and den building. I’ve also been part of coordinating Wildlife Watch sessions, working alongside other volunteers to run activities for children, such as creating natural bird feeders and chalk stream dipping.

One of the best parts of volunteering is getting to work with people who have the same love for nurturing nature. And seeing younger people excited to learn about wildlife, whilst building skills and growing their confidence outdoors, is truly inspirational.

I love being outdoors in all kinds of weather conditions. That sometimes means getting very muddy, but that is all part of the adventure of being immersed in nature!

A reason to get outside…

Many of our reserves have volunteer groups that meet regularly to help with vital conservation and maintenance. A number of our reserves have their own volunteer groups, and others are overseen by Wiltshire Wildlife Conservation Volunteers (WWCV) - a group of volunteers that carry out a wide range of tasks that help to maintain and improve conditions for wildlife in Wiltshire. They work across our reserves, currently volunteering in 14 all around the county.

Kate has been volunteering as part of WWCV at our Jones’s Mill Nature Reserve; we asked her why she does it:

A reason to get out in the winter, come rain and shine.

The ‘Green Gym’ is far more interesting, effective and productive than the indoor gym where I am bored to tears!

Doing something constructive for Nature, rather than getting into more of a tizz about the Climate Emergency.

Enjoying being part of a team and experiencing what a dozen older people can achieve…

Learning like a child again – observing, feeling, watching, smelling, asking questions, learning about the other living things I share my world with and the relationships between all of us.

Experiencing the change of the seasons from Autumn to Winter and Spring in one landscape, and getting to know it better every year.

Recognising that I am part of ‘something bigger’.

Sleeping better.

The friendships I have made and the laughs I have had, many at my expense!

The skills I have learned and updated – particularly in the art of getting muddy!

A group of volunteers stand in front of wood pile

Kate articulates beautifully the reasons why so many people volunteer in the way they do. Volunteering with the Trust not only provides the opportunity to get outdoors and give something back to the world around us, but the feeling of community that comes with that, growing deeper connections with others and the natural world, and being part of something bigger.

If you’re interested in trying volunteering, we have a range of opportunities to suit every skillset, location and time constraint. Find out more and register today – together, we can create a wilder Wiltshire where wildlife and people flourish in harmony!