Volunteer opportunities at Holmwood Common and Leith Hill

Tree planting on tenant farmland at Lodge Park, Gloucestershire — Volunteers helping to plant trees | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Volunteers are crucial for the conservation work undertaken at Holmwood Common and Leith Hill, and there are many ways to help. Read more about how to become a volunteer.

Volunteer at Holmwood Common

The team of volunteers at Holmwood Common and Leith Hill are an essential part of the regular conservation work carried out. No previous experience is required, you just need plenty of enthusiasm and a willingness to get stuck in. There are several volunteer groups that carry out different tasks.

Countryside Rangers

Countryside Rangers join us on Tuesdays and Wednesdays each week, alternating between Holmwood Common and Leith Hill. This role includes tasks such as practical habitat management and access or infrastructure maintenance.

As such, you will have a hand in looking after our countryside sites, learning how we manage them and why. This is a hands-on (possibly muddy) opportunity for those who like to get stuck in on a regular basis.

Roaming Rangers

Roaming Rangers have an ad-hoc, lone working opportunity to promote an extra National Trust presence on our sites, engaging with visitors and answering questions about properties, and are fundamental as eyes and ears on the ground.

In this role, you would sign in and out remotely before walking a network of footpaths in an area of the site, recording anything of note so that it may be brought to our attention and addressed quickly. This is ideal for those already familiar with the sites, but who are unavailable during standard volunteer task times.

Woods at Holmwood Common, Surrey — Woods at Holmwood Common | © National Trust Images/Gary Coshan

Rhododendron Wood Gardeners

Our team of Rhododendron Wood Gardeners help maintain Leith Hill Place garden and Rhododendron Wood, which are our more formal areas of garden and ornamental woodland.

This includes horticultural tasks and general maintenance to preserve the cultural heritage and beauty of these places.

Weekend volunteering

A Conservation Rangers group is run on the first Saturday every month between 10am and 2pm. These alternate between being hosted at Holmwood Common and Leith Hill.

This is a more educational opportunity, accessible to those busy during the week and less physically demanding than our Countryside Ranger role. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Why join us?

There are lots of reasons to join us; making the move to volunteer could be the best decision you ever make.

Become part of a friendly and dedicated team
Meet people from all walks of life and forge new friendships
Utilise your existing skills and learn new ones
Strengthen your CV and help to develop your career
Enjoy the great outdoors
Learn about the history of this special place.

Get in touch about volunteering at Holmwood Common

If you’re interested in joining the team at Holmwood Common and Leith Hill, please complete this form.

The Friends of Holmwood Common is an enthusiastic community group that organises fun events and produces regular newsletters. To find out more information contact the group by email or follow the Friends on Facebook.