Visitor Centre Meet and Greet Volunteer (Ingrebourne, South Essex)
Ingrebourne Nature Discovery Centre,
Ingrebourne Valley Nature Discovery Centre, Hornchurch Country Park, Squadrons Approach , Hornchurch, RM12 6DF (Sat Nav RM12 6TS)Position details
Commitment:
Monday, SundayFrequency:
WeeklyRole purpose
Volunteers at our nature discovery centres welcome visitors to the centre, talking about the site and Essex Wildlife Trust Membership options and donations, operating the till for retail and catering sales, restocking shelves, as well as general duties around the centre providing excellent customer service.
Background detail
Our Ingrebourne Valley Nature Discovery Centre is located within Hornchurch Country Park between Hornchurch, Upminster and Rainham. Opened in 2015 the site comprises of 261 hectares of interconnecting habitats, including river, open water, marsh, grassland, reed bed, ancient and secondary woodland, scrub and hedgerows and is home to London’s largest remaining continuous freshwater reed bed, designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Our Nature Discovery Centre is a popular Centre with over 100,000 visitors annually visiting the park and offers an outdoor gym and ‘trim-trail’ that extends throughout the park. Hornchurch Country Park is the former site of Sutton’s Farm airfield, from which biplanes of the Royal Flying Corps took off to defend London in World War One. Various artefacts and relics of the site’s RAF history, such as pill boxes, Tett turrets and a Spitfire dispersal point are still visible within the park.
The site is not only unique but incredibly important for the 61 species of birds that regularly breed in the area, including Redshank, Lapwing and Pochard, in addition to 16 nationally scarce beetle species, dragonflies, crickets and other insects. The Ingrebourne Valley is a true haven for wildlife. Visitors may also get the chance to enjoy the wonderful but all-too-rare ‘plop’ as a Water Vole enters the water or the flash of blue as a Kingfisher dashes downstream.
The Visitor Centre located in the northern half of Hornchurch Country Park and offers an opportunity to discover the wildlife whilst enjoying refreshments and a gift shop, run by a friendly team and wonderful volunteers who are passionate about providing fantastic customer service.
Our centres are not for profit making. All money raised goes directly back into managing conservation across Essex.
Time commitment
We are looking for meet and greet volunteers on:
- Mondays 11am-3pm ideally
- Sundays 1pm - 5 pm ideally
Our nature discovery centres are open all year round from 10:00am until 5:00pm (4:00pm in the winter months) except Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Location
Ingrebourne Valley Nature Discovery Centre, Hornchurch Country Park, Squadrons Approach, Hornchurch, Essex, RM12 6DF (Sat Nav RM12 6TS).
Role description
- Welcoming visitors to the centre.
- Discussing and sharing with guests the work of the Trust.
- Discussing membership options.
- Operating the till for retail and catering sales.
- Restocking catering and retail shelves.
Specialist knowledge and experience
None.
Why volunteer and why this opportunity?
As well as the opportunity to make a significant contribution to a local wildlife charity, the role provides opportunities to develop skills and knowledge. It is also an opportunity to become part of a thriving community of over 1400 Essex Wildlife Trust Volunteers. This opportunity will allow you to get to know your local community well and connect with other Essex Wildlife Trust members and volunteers in your area.
Special conditions
All Essex Wildlife Trust volunteers are required to complete any essential training.
EDI Statement
Essex Wildlife Trust is committed to an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone is welcome. As a conservation charity, we know how important diversity is, both in our natural world and amongst the people who choose to volunteer with us. We want everyone to feel valued and empowered to contribute to our vision of “A county rich in wildlife with people connected to nature”.