I always look back to my initial Volunteer Officer interview at TCV (then BTCV) Skelton Grange Environment Centre – catching two buses, overshooting my stop and walking through an industrial estate inclusive of sewage treatment works, recycling depots, scrap yards etc. It was a pretty drizzly, grey day in January, and, on the way, I was thinking “where on earth is this road leading me?”
I eventually arrived at a little green oasis hidden away in south Leeds and met the most wonderful, enthusiastic and caring bunch of people! I started my role as a Volunteer Officer and with each passing day I saw spring arrive and the site burst into life. The 10-acres or so at Skelton Grange are a wonderful haven for wildlife and a perfect example of what’s achievable with a small space when careful thought is given to native planting; providing food and habitats for the local bird, mammal, amphibian and invertebrate species.
My story is not one of a particular event or day, although there have been many stand out moments, but the whole experience rolled into one amazing journey of discovery. I ended up volunteering for a year, learning to teach children and adults, leading environmental education sessions, helping out with practical conservation days, helping run events and surveying tasks. After a year I was able to use this experience to land a job teaching abroad in China, which again opened up a whole new world to me. I left my volunteer role with a renewed sense of enthusiasm for the natural world and all the wonder it has to offer.
I love TCV’s fundamental mission of connecting people and green spaces. Without a chance to connect, to stop and stare and to enjoy nature, I believe people won’t care too much to protect it. It’s such an important issue and there’s also the whole host of benefits to people’s own mental and physical health that goes with along with exercising, socialising and learning outdoors.
I’d highly recommend volunteering with TCV and I’d like to say thank you to everyone at Skelton Grange for such a wonderful experience.