A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF A VOLUNTEER
It seems hard to believe that this will be 207th
time I have walked across Canterbury to North Lane car park to be whisked
off by minibus for a day’s conservation with the Kentish Stour
Countryside Project.
Today we will be at Down Bank clearing dogwood scrub
with a good bonfire, banter with ‘the lads’, a mug of tea and perhaps
a biscuit, if J has remembered to go shopping.
Down Bank is one of my favourite sites, another is
Jumping Downs. Both have spectacular views across the Downland and there
is a good chance of seeing a raptor or two soaring on the wind (we did, in
fact, get to see a peregrine and a buzzard at the same time this week!).
After 36 years of paid work I found myself back on the
streets. I made enquires about conservation work, but some pigs in the
north got very sick and the whole of the countryside closed down for 9
months! Apathy set in but I made a new year’s resolution to GET OUT
THERE! So in January 2002 I appeared for my first day at Neal’s Place to
do a bit of hedge laying.
There were people who thought that they wouldn’t see
me again but I’ve kept turning up! Now I really look forward to the day,
perhaps with the exception of ‘pond work’.
Recently we have become semi-resident at Stodmarsh NNR
with excursions to other sites every couple of weeks. This makes the
weekly tasks more varied but I think the ‘hardcore’ volunteers would
come anyway, I know I will.
I’ve only managed 30 days with KSCP this year, mainly
because I had a detached retina last February, but I volunteer with three
other groups too. I can never quite decide why, but KSCP is my favourite
group, it could be more varied tasks or the free minibus transport from
the centre of Canterbury, anyway I hope to be able to continue to
volunteer each week for the next ten years at least!
Richard Yarwood
If you want to get involved, like Richard contact us
