Please note that at the present time our volunteer recruitment is paused as a large number of new volunteers have recently joined our team, if you would still like to get in touch to register your interest for the future or find out more about when volunteer recruitment is likely to resume, please contact the Volunteer Administrator using the details at the bottom of this page.

Volunteer

Volunteering with the Bradgate Park Trust provides a chance to make a real contribution to Bradgate Park and Swithland Wood’s wildlife, landscape conservation and rich heritage, as well as championing our visitor experience and sharing a passion for the Estate. 

Our friendly team is supported by a dedicated Ranger and a Volunteer Administrator. Once you get in touch, our team help you decide the best opportunities to suit your interest. After an informal chat, you will be invited to find out more. We also send you details of taster sessions and activities you might like to join and explain how we keep in touch and you can book volunteer opportunities. Many volunteers get involved in more than one area of work. It is up to you - you can do as much, or as little as you like! 

To find out more, please contact our Volunteer Administrator by email [email protected] or by phone on 0116 2362713.

Below is a summary of how you could get involved: 

Conservation Volunteers: Conservation Volunteers go out into the Estate and get a hands-on experience of the work involved in managing the Park. You will be involved in a wide range of habitat conservation and maintenance tasks across the whole Estate. Tasks are seasonal, ongoing and include activities such as maintaining the historic dry-stone walling, invasive plant species control, tree frame construction, planting trees, charcoal making and much more. If being outside is what you’re looking for, then this group is for you! 

Patrolling Volunteers: As a volunteer patroller, you are the eyes and ears of the Park, helping to protect the landscape and assist our visitors on a daily basis. Armed with a map, radio and litter picking equipment you’ll cover your designated area of the Estate at your own pace. As a first point of contact for visitors you’ll be able to communicate effectively and inform the Ranger team of any incidents or issues. Best of all, you’ll be walking through tranquil woodlands, over rugged parkland and taking in the sights and sounds of nature whilst contributing to the daily running of the Park. 

Gardening Volunteers: Gardening Volunteers support us by taking care of the various green spaces across the Estate. Our volunteer gardeners can usually be found working in the allotment or walled garden. Gardening Volunteers muck in with tasks such as weeding, planting and pruning. This is a great activity for those who have green fingers or don’t mind getting their hands dirty!

Visitor Centre Volunteer: Our Visitor Centre Volunteers help guide visitors around our exciting and interactive Visitor Centre space, sharing their knowledge of the Park and Estate with members of the public. Within the wide-ranging history, geology and wildlife of the Park there is huge scope to develop your own understanding and to then pass this on. If engaging our visitors and delivering the ‘Bradgate Park Experience’ is what you’re looking for, then this role is definitely for you!

Tour Guide Volunteers: As a Tour Guide, you will be trained to effectively communicate the facts and history of the Ruins of Bradgate House and/or Old John Tower to visiting members of the public. The Tour Guide role is based at the Ruins or Old John Tower and requires an interest in visitor engagement that will give people a true insight into our historic buildings and landscape. If being around these historic buildings and sharing their story is for you, get involved with the Tour Guides!

Events / Ruins / Old John Tower Steward: Our volunteer stewards help visitors make the most of our events and open days in areas such as the Ruins and Old John Tower. An interest in visitor engagement is essential but this is less formalised than the Tour Guide role so don’t worry if you don’t know all the facts and figures off hand! If you think you’d enjoying sharing the story of the Park but you don’t fancy leading a full tour, volunteering as a Steward may be more up your street! 

Education Session Volunteers: Here at Bradgate Park Trust we have an award-winning programme of education sessions that are delivered by our volunteers to educational groups. These sessions are offered in a variety of subjects including history, geology and ecology. We offer education sessions to younger visitors of all ages; our Education Volunteers are all about sharing their knowledge and encouraging our visitors to learn about the Park in an enjoyable way!

Community Champions: Community Champions talk to community groups about Bradgate Park and the Trust’s work, engaging people in a ‘lecture’ type scenario. As with Tour Guiding, you will be provided with scripts to give you a sense of the direction we’d like the talk to take but it’s up to you to add your character to it. If you would like to broaden your knowledge of the Parks history, management, wildlife, natural and manmade landscape and would enjoy supporting these talks then get in touch!

For more information on these opportunities, please contact our Volunteer Administrator at [email protected].

Development of our volunteering programme has received significant support from the Heritage Lottery Fund. This support also allowed us to produce informative displays and banners. 

Our volunteering Policy can be found on our Policy page

Click here to download - The Volunteering Registration form