The sustainability team strive to make Essex Wildlife Trust as innovative and sustainable as possible, across all activities and processes. Since joining the team, he has supported the Trust in preparing for the Green Dragon Environmental Management System Accreditation, amongst many other exciting projects!

We caught up with Graham to find out what makes his volunteering experience so enjoyable. 

How did you first get into volunteering? What motivated you to start and what do you enjoy most about your volunteer role?

"When I knew that I was going to be able to give up full-time work, I reached out to several organisations that I have a personal interest in and enquired about volunteering opportunities. Essex Wildlife Trust posted an advert for a volunteering role working specifically with the operations department which led to my working with the sustainability group. I was excited by the opportunity to use my business acumen to benefit a cause that aligned closely with my concern for the environment and the erosion of wildlife. I greatly enjoy having the time to learn and understand about the numerous issues, but also being able to offer advice and identify genuine opportunities that will make a difference."

What have you learnt about wildlife since volunteering with us?

"The sheer diversity of the Essex Wildlife Trust operation is something that continues to surprise me, and this is largely due to the variety of wildlife and habitat. Essex having the longest coastline of any county in England is surprising and means overall wildlife diversity and environmental significance is huge. I have learnt (and forgotten!) so much about wildlife in Essex since I have been working with the Trust."

 If you could let people know one thing about volunteering – what would it be?

"Volunteering really broadens your horizon and changes your perspective."

Speaking of the invaluable role that our volunteers have for the Trust, Keziah Rookes, the Trust’s Sustainability Officer, says:

“Working with the volunteers over the last year has highlighted to me how valuable their contributions are to the Trust. They bring passion and fresh ideas that enables the Trust to look at things from different perspectives and progress ideas for improvement. The work we have achieved with the help from these volunteers has helped us understand our position within sustainability and aided us in setting out plans in areas such as environmental management, waste reduction, carbon calculating, renewable energy sources, fleet migration to electric vehicles and so much more.”