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Butterfly Conservation
Mission Statement
Our Vision
A world where butterflies, moths and nature thrive and can be enjoyed by everyone, forever.
Our Purpose
Butterfly Conservation conserves and recovers butterflies and moths and champions them for the benefit of nature and people.
Volunteering with Butterfly Conservation
Practical Conservation Group Volunteer (Surrey)
Our Practical Conservation Group Volunteers make a real difference to their local environment. Without them, many threatened butterflies and moths could be lost forever.
At Butterfly Conservation, we want to create a world where butterflies and moths are enjoyed by everyone, forever. Our Group Volunteers help ensure that their local site is a haven for wildlife and the people who enjoy it. Working with other volunteers doing hands-on, practical work, they make sure the site is right for butterflies by cutting, raking or digging.
There’s often a bonfire and refreshments, too!
You will enjoy physical work and have the chance to see the results of your efforts both on the day and in the following spring and summer when the butterflies and moths return. You don’t need to know anything about butterflies or moths to get started, but will have the chance to learn about them and other wildlife.
Why we want you
To take part in practical conservation tasks on key sites for the benefit of moths and butterflies.
What you will be doing
- Carry out practical conservation tasks (cutting scrub, raking, uprooting invasive species, clear felling etc.) as directed by the group leader.
- Ensure that you understand the work which needs to be carried out on site, why, where and how.
The skills you need
- An understanding of safe tool use, or a willingness to learn.
- You need to be capable of working outside for several hours, sometimes on uneven or steep ground.
- Since many sites are rural with poor transport links, it can be useful to have your own transport. Car sharing will be encouraged - please let the Group Leader know if this would be helpful to you.
- Your behaviour will support Butterfly Conservation’s values.
What's in it for you
- This role gives great job satisfaction – you can see the impact of your work both on the day and in the following spring / summer.
- Learn more about the site and the butterflies and moths which use it.
- Increase your social circle with like minded people, boosting your wellbeing.
Disclaimer
This role is active year round. Practical conservation days (“work parties”) are arranged at intervals during the season, but usually take place between 10am and 4pm on the chosen day. We ask for a minimum commitment to attend 1 work party over the course of one season. We will also ask you to complete health and safety training for the role. May involve accessing steep slopes, uneven ground, or remote sites. Please check with the named contact for this opportunity. Children aged 13-15 must be accompanied by an adult whilst volunteering. If you are aged 16 or 17, your parent may give written permission for you to volunteer without adult supervision
Canine Partners
Are you looking for a rewarding, fun, new challenge? Canine Partners is a registered charity that transforms the lives of disabled people by partnering them with assistance dogs. We are looking for caring homes in Berkshire area, to raise, socialise and train puppies and young dogs up to the age of 18 months before they go on to become life-changing canine partners. Ideally, within 45 minutes’ drive RG12. Find out more caninepartners.org.uk/puppy-parents
Mission Statement
We will change the lives of disabled people using expertly trained dogs to improve physical, emotional and social wellbeing.
General Interests
Cranleigh Riding for Disabled
Mission Statement
Through the commitment of volunteers, RDA enables people with disabilites to ride to benefit their health and well being and to achieve their goals
Elysian Animal Assisted Interventions Ltd
Guide Dogs
Mission Statement
We are Guide Dogs. And we’re here to help people with sight loss live the life they choose.
Guide Dogs is one of the UK’s leading sight loss charities. Our expert staff, volunteers, life-changing guide dogs and buddy dogs help people, both adults and children, with sight loss live the life they choose.
We simply couldn’t deliver our vital services without our incredible volunteers. Whether it’s raising a puppy or making a difference in your community, you can make a change that matters.
General Interests
Puppy Raiser
The Puppy Raiser role is a full-on volunteering role, whereby you look after a future life-changing puppy for a year, from when they are about 9 weeks old until they are around 18 months. You will play a huge role in the social development of the puppy, guiding him or her through training, socialisation, introduction of new environments and experiences, whilst providing a loving home. They are young puppies when they first arrive so all the usual toilet training, chewing etc does occur; but if you can cope with that it is such a rewarding role.
You will take your puppy along to monthly puppy classes where you will be supported with their training, we use a programme called Puppy Raising for Excellent Partnerships (PREP) which is based on positive reinforcement. You will be supported by other puppy raisers as well as a dedicated volunteer manager.
Ideally you will have enough time to invest in raising a puppy and attending to their needs, have someone at home who is physically able to handle large breed dogs (around 25 – 40 kg), access to a car so that you can get your puppy used to travelling, the agreement of your landlord to have a dog in the property if you rent your home and a safe secure area outside for your puppy to go to the toilet.
You’ll get the rewarding feeling of watching a mischievous puppy learn new training techniques to help them develop into a guide dog. The opportunity to participate in our bespoke world-class training programme which can help you train your own dogs or advance a future career in dog handling.
Volunteering for Guide Dogs should never leave you out of pocket. We’ll make sure we pay any expenses related to volunteering with us, including veterinary costs, food costs for the puppy and other materials needed for the puppy’s training.
Short Term Puppy Fosterer
As a Puppy Fosterer you will be providing a puppy with a loving home for a short period of time, which can vary from a couple of days to a couple of months, all whilst giving them the care and support they need for their training. You will help reinforce their training by supporting their social development, introduce them to new environments and experiences and follow the training guidance provided by our Puppy Development Advisors and the training programme we use called Puppy Raising for Excellent Partnerships (PREP) which is based on positive reinforcement.
Ideally you will have enough time to invest in looking after the puppy when they come to stay with you; have someone at home who is physically able to handle large breed dogs (around 25 – 40 kg); access to a car so that you can get your puppy used to travelling; the agreement of your landlord to have a dog in the property if you rent your home; and a safe secure area outside on gravel or concrete, for your puppy to go to the toilet.
You will get the satisfaction in knowing you are directly supporting people with sight loss to live actively, independently and well by helping a puppy develop into a future life-changing guide dog. Our volunteers receive lots of support from their volunteer managers to help them implement the training modules with their puppy.
Volunteering for Guide Dogs should never leave you out of pocket. We’ll make sure we pay any expenses related to volunteering with us, including veterinary costs, food costs for the puppy and other materials needed for the puppy’s training.
Horsley and Bookham Riding for the Disabled Association
Mission Statement
Horsley, Bookham & Leatherhead Riding for the Disabled Association is a registered charity which provides facilities to benefit disabled children and young adults by having regular contact with horses.
We have been operating for over 30 years giving rides to children and young adults with physical and learning disabilities in Surrey. Our riders include those with autism, Down's Syndrome, spina bifida and dyspraxia.
Each week, with the assistance of our coaches and volunteers, our riders can enjoy the horse riding experience. This provides them with the chance to be independent, to feel a sense of achievement and it puts smiles on their faces! If proof is needed of the therapeutic effect of riding, we had one little boy who had never spoken before and whose first word was the name of his pony.
Our dedicated team of volunteer coaches, group leaders and helpers is paramount to our continued success, without whom we could not operate.
We are always looking for volunteers and sponsors, and welcome any contribution which will help keep this wonderful community effort going.
General Interests
Rosamund Guildford Community Garden
Mission Statement
Receive a warm welcome at Rosamund Guildford Community Garden, where a vibrant community of volunteers comes together. Our mission is to create a nurturing natural space, inviting both novice and passionate gardeners to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors and wildlife.
We grow produce in tune with nature, using no-dig methods, slow natural enrichment and non-mechanisation. The Garden has many environmental features including a Roundhouse crafted through traditional methods, a pond fed by rainwater, two polytunnels, beds for growing, wildlife havens and a diverse orchard with a variety of trees.
We run regular sessions at the garden on Tuesday and Sunday afternoons between 2.30 and 4.30pm. We also have monthly Big Job Sundays for large projects or tasks that require a big group. If you’d like to come and join in one of our sessions, just drop us an email to check it’s going ahead. To become a member of the garden we ask for a nominal sign-up fee of £20 for the year, and you will be added to our garden chat and google group, as well as having free access to the garden outside of the group sessions. It’s best to try out a couple of taster days before committing to becoming a member, to make sure it’s right for you.
We look forward to hearing from you and meeting you at the garden.
General Interests
RSPCA Guildford and Epsom Branch
Volunteering is fun, rewarding and plays a critical role in our work to improve animal welfare. Take a look at our latest opportunities on offer.
In particular we are keen to hear from potential fosterers. Fostering is a really rewarding way to help. For many animals being in a foster home is an essential step on their road to a forever home.
Mission Statement
The charitable objectives of the RSPCA are to promote kindness and prevent or suppress cruelty to animals by all lawful means.
The branch promotes animal welfare in the local area primarily through veterinary assistance, neutering and re-homing. We run a voucher scheme which assists local people with veterinary bills for treatment and neutering. It also helps to control dog and cat populations, thereby promoting responsible pet ownership.
The branch assists the RSPCA animal centres, mainly Millbrook and South Godstone, with re-homing unwanted and abused animals by home-visiting. We also pay for veterinary treatment of stray animals and wildlife attended to by the Inspectorate in our branch area.
The RSPCA provides advice for owners on animal care. It also helps animals brought to us for rehoming because their owners are unable or unwilling to keep them. Ill treated or injured animals are cared for by the Society. The public benefits from knowing that we can intervene to assist animals in need.
We have a website to raise awareness of the activities of the branch and to help members get more involved. We provide volunteering opportunities for those who wish to support our work, including trusteeship, fundraising and home visiting. This benefits local people and companies by providing the possibility of doing work which is compassionate and rewarding.
We also have to fundraise to enable us to continue with our charitable work. The RSPCA receives no government or lottery funding.
General Interests
Uncategorized
Surrey Hills Society
Mission Statement
The Surrey Hills Society is an independent charity formed 15 years ago. It promotes the positive enjoyment and care of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which is in the course of being rebranded as one of the UK’s National Landscapes. We encourage those who live, work in, or visit the area to explore and learn about the special qualities and distinctiveness of the area. The Society also uses its extensive network to actively promote the conservation and enjoyment of the Surrey Hills.
In June 2019 the Society was presented with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service which is the highest award for volunteer groups to recognise outstanding work done in their communities and is the equivalent of an MBE for voluntary organisations.
Our mission is summarised by four words: Conserve, Inspire, Educate and Enjoy.
For further information visit our website.
