Ever Fancied Volunteering for the RSPB in North West Norfolk?

Have you ever considered volunteering for the RSPB?

It’s easy to do at RSPB Titchwell Marsh & Snettisham.

We couldn’t do all we do for nature without our wonderful volunteers.

The reserves at RSPB Titchwell Marsh and RSPB Snettisham are wildlife havens for North West Norfolk. They offer some of the greatest nature spectacles in the UK as well as providing a home to Norfolk’s wonderful wildlife, such as marsh harriers, bitterns, avocets and water voles.

Making these reserves the best that they can be for wildlife, and for the tens of thousands of people that come to visit, requires a large and dedicated team of staff and volunteers across a wide range of roles.

What do volunteers do?

Here’s Terence and Sally to tell you a little bit more about volunteering for the RSPB:

Terence says, “I assist in many aspects of the life of the reserves. Mainly in the Titchwell cafe, making scones, soups, salads. Assisting in serving the customers, with a cheerful attitude! Washing dishes. Greeting visitors! Also various roles outside, welcome hub, painting, helping out where necessary.”

For Sally, “At RSPB Titchwell l work in the kitchen preparing salads, baking scones and in the winter making soup and fruit crumbles. I take prepared food through to the restaurant and clear tables.  The kitchen team are always supportive and helpful and time flies.”

A big thank you for your time and skills

Everyone has a unique set of skills, and volunteering is the perfect way to make the most of the skills that you have, or to develop new ones.

For Terence, he uses “Cooking skills, I never knew I had.” And he loves, “being friendly with visitors, being a reliable member of the team and always getting the job done!”

For Sally, “As well as basic cooking skills I use time management and interpersonal skills when dealing with our visitors.  If we are doing food for a special occasion, the team is always open to ideas for menu dishes.”

It doesn’t just benefit wildlife

During lockdown, many people felt a new or renewed connection to nature, but volunteering can offer so much more than the chance to spend time on a beautiful nature reserve.

For Terence, “It gives me a lot of happiness being able to work in such a beautiful place. It gives me a satisfaction that I am helping nature, my fellow humans and gets me out of the town!”

Sally says “Volunteering gives me a great deal of satisfaction.  It is rewarding to feel you are of help and a valued member of a team.   Being with other generations, chatting with a wider circle of enthusiastic people helps to keep one young!” 

Come and join us!

Are you a people person? Great with children? An outdoors person? An indoors person? A birder? A foodie?

Take a look at our current vacancies and let us know if you fancy giving it a go.

We desperately need:

• Café Assistant – Help us in our busy kitchen by preparing and serving food. Some experience in a similar environment would be beneficial, although an enthusiastic person willing to learn will be enough!
• Activities Assistant – Support in running nature-based activities and events on the reserve during both term-time and / or school holidays. Events experience (particularly in working with children) would be beneficial, but training can be provided for an outgoing and energetic individual.
• Welcome Assistant – Warmly meet & greet visitors and provide an orientation to the reserve, its wildlife and supporting them to have a great visit. Experience in meet & greet and money handling beneficial, but training can be provided for a friendly and outgoing individual.
• Weekend Retail Assistant – Retail experience would be beneficial, but training can be provided for an energetic and friendly individual. Must be comfortable with learning an electronic till system, money handling, greeting and serving customers and assisting customers with any product questions (specific training provided).
• Ranging Rover – Our Rovers help visitors to spot and identify some of our 250+ species of birds that we see at the reserve. A friendly approach and great knowledge of the UK’s birds (particularly waders and waterfowl) is required.

Unless stated, no specific knowledge of birds is required, although an interest in nature would be beneficial for all these roles.

For more details, click click here and pop in your postcode for the nearest roles, or drop us an email, letting us know what role you’re interested in: titchwell@rspb.org.uk.

We look forward to hearing from you!

RSPB North West Norfolk reserves.