Camden's Community Orchards

Friday, 5 February 2010

Over 50 local volunteers came together over 3 days last November and December to re-create the kitchen garden at Lauderdale House, Waterlow Park.

Following the success and local interest, Camden Council have now partnered with BTCV's Carbon Army in developing an ambitious project to plant Community Orchards in housing estates and sheltered housing across Camden.

Camden Council have been actively canvassing local interest, with the key pre-requisite being that local residents take ownership of their new orchard. BTCV will be facilitating each event with a focus on engaging as many residents from the local communities in the planning, preparation and planting.

Local residents will also be offered follow-up training to ensure they know how to care for, prune and make the most of their new local food resource.

The projects aims are to promote local interest in food growing, green housing estates and encourage community groups to develop communal gardening projects in their neighbourhood.

The local gardening clubs at Taplow Estate are keen to expand straight away, and have just been awarded a separate grant to improve another neglected green space on the estate. BTCV hope to be able to come back later in the year to give them a helping hand!

BTCV launched the Carbon Army last year during the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, with over 6,000 volunteers demonstrating a real commitment to tackling climate change through local collective action.

BTCV Carbon Army

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Brighter futures for young and unemployed

Thursday, 4 February 2010

Eight young people who been out of work for almost a year are today looking forward to brighter futures after securing work through a new government scheme delivered by conservation charity BTCV.

In the past three months a group of jobless youngsters from York have been recruited by the UK’s leading conservation charity BTCV through the Government’s Future Jobs Fund.

BTCV is delivering the jobs under contract to the North Yorkshire Learning Consortium. Consortium (NYLC) who were the only locally based Third Sector organisation in the York and North Yorkshire Sub Region to achieve a contract in the first round of funding.

The 18 to 24-year-olds are working as Assistant Field Officers for a minimum of six months and are already learning new skills which will better equip to continue their careers with BTCV or seek employment elsewhere. Future Jobs Fund was launched in last year and runs until March 2011, with the aim of creating 170,000 additional jobs. Around 10,000 of these jobs are expected to be “green jobs”.

The York group, under the supervision of a BTCV Project Supervisor, have been developing their skills by building a nature garden at a school in the city.

They’ve transformed a patch of land into a pond with a dipping platform and built living willow tunnels for the children to explore.

The next phase of work will see the group build raised beds, so pupils can grow their own vegetables in the coming years.

Today, Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, visited St George’s School in York to meet the new recruits and see their impressive conservation work. She said, “I have been really impressed with the talent and enthusiasm of the young people I have met today.

“This is why we are making the extra investment in job support which I saw already making a difference today, keeping unemployment less than half the level of the last recession and much lower than everyone expected. But things are still tough for a lot of people - especially for young people.

“That's why it is important to guarantee that young people won't become long term unemployed and why we're investing in these new youth jobs now.”

Kevin Jones, BTCV’s Operations Director – North, said: “This project demonstrates how conservation charities like BTCV are well placed to create jobs and provide “on the job” training at the heart of communities.

“These young people are learning new practical skills and gaining confidence all the time. Not only are they benefitting in terms of skills and job prospects, the local community and the environment are benefitting too.

“BTCV delivers a range of work and training schemes on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions and we are delighted that Yvette Cooper has recognised the excellent work going on.”

Sue Vasey, Chief Executive of NYLC, said: “We are delighted with the response from employers from the “not for profit” sector to our Future Jobs Fund activities. They see this as an ideal opportunity to help local young people get a foot on the job ladder and are well placed to support those who have barriers to overcome to reach their potential.”

Newly appointed BTCV Assistant Field Officer Richard Heels, one of the eight people who met Yvette Cooper, said: “ I was unemployed for 2 years after leaving school and have never had a job before so my confidence really suffered. “I’m really enjoying my new conservation job and transforming the school grounds has been a fantastic team effort. I’m learning a lot of handy skills and I’m really interested now in continuing my career in gardening or conservation.”

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Vote BTCV the most worthy eco project and keep Cumbria beautiful

Friday, 29 January 2010

The UK’s environmental volunteering charity BTCV, together with Friends of the Lake District, is in the running to win 30 000 euros to enhance the Cumbria countryside and teach the traditional skills which keep it alive.

Trail magazine and Country Walking magazine, via their website Live for the Outdoors are presenting six projects from different groups including BTCV.

You have the chance to vote for which project you think deserves the money from the EOG Association for Conservation. Make sure you vote BTCV and protect rural Cumbria.

The project will impact on the most treasured elements of the Lake District’s landscape: derelict dry stone walls will be rebuilt allowing sheep grazing to revitalise meadows; recreational access will be upgraded; habitats enhanced; and hedgerows reinvigorated.

Flagship hedgelaying and walling competitions will be a culmination of the yearlong volunteer and skills training programmes, achieving high quality improvements to the countryside.

Yet BTCV will not only make significant and valuable enhancements to the countryside; we will also change people’s lives.

Visitors and locals, the disadvantaged, disconnected and unemployed, those with poorer mental or physical wellbeing and the fit and able, old and young, professionals and aspiring youngsters: all will gain skills, improve confidence, admire results of their own handiwork, discover areas of natural beauty, socialise with like-minded individuals, and spend time in a green and living environment.

A win for the future of the Lake District, its people and visitors.

Visit www.livefortheoutdoors.com or go straight the voting page:

http://www.livefortheoutdoors.com/News-Landing/Search-Results/Features/Vote-for-the-most-worthy-eco-project-right-here/

VOTING CLOSES MIDNIGHT ON WEDNESDAY 10 FEBRUARY

Enjoy an experience of a lifetime without leaving the South West

Thursday, 28 January 2010

Enjoy an experience of a lifetime without leaving the South West with BTCV Conservation Holidays.

Leading UK conservation charity BTCV is running a number of conservation holidays in the South West in the early part 2010.

From February 26 to March 3 there’s the chance to join a Cornish Beachsweep and get close to nature.

All the marine litter collected will be surveyed before bagging and the data fed will be fed into the Marine Conservation Society's annual waste survey, in order to aid in action to identify litter problems and tackle them at source.

Throughout the week there will also be talks by professionals including Silver Dolphin, who raise awareness about the South West’s whales and dolphins, and the National Seal Sanctuary at Gweek who rescue and rehabilitate seal pups washed up along the coast.

The short break is designed to fuel guests’ enthusiasm and give an insight into the impact that marine pollution has on wildlife.

There will also be a rocky ramble to explore the amazing rockpool wildlife along the Cornish shoreline.

Accommodation for the week is a self-catering barn on a small Cornish mixed working farm at Tregedna. The holiday costs £260 per person.

In March, from March 5 to March 12, BTCV is running a conservation holiday to The Park at Mawgan Porth in Cornwall.

The site is a rural setting of mature parkland of 27 acres and located only a few hundred metres from the fine surfing beach of Mawgan Porth.

During the trip visitors will work to protect and enhance a habitat to provide a haven for wildlife.

They will also help to improve reed beds have been neglected for a number of years by constructing a boardwalk through the reed beds.

The boardwalk will be used to allow groups to access the reeds for future educational activities and also improve access for reed management.

The plan for the future is to introduce sandy areas for newts and to have areas of open water in the reeds.

There is evidence of otters upstream from this site and the hope is that if the habitat is right they may inhabit this part of the river too.

Accommodation is in static caravans with one caravan being used as a communal eating and relaxing area.

The trip costs £170 and full details are available from www.btcv.org

BTCV Conservation Holidays offer the experience of a lifetime.

Those taking part meet people they wouldn't normally meet and learn new skills.

The days are spent doing some physical work, but in return, the stress and routine of normal everyday life is washed away and replaced by beautiful scenery, a sense of achievement and a bunch of new friends.

No prior experience necessary

Wednesday, 27 January 2010

Enjoy tranquil surroundings and views of the Cumbria countryside, tiptoe through 19th century corridors...and do some good old-fashioned hard work in between.

This is what to expect if you book a place on ‘The Eternal Path at Conishead’, a BTCV conservation holiday taking place in March.

You will be warmly welcomed by the residents at Conishead Priory, which is now home to Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre, during a week managing the surrounding woodlands. You’ll receive guidance and training from the holiday leaders and you don’t need to be an experienced conservationist, just enthusiastic.

BTCV has worked with Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre for a number of years, carrying out woodland management and access work in the grounds. This spring the focus will be on improving the access around the beautiful grounds, which currently includes a network of footpaths, steps and bridges.

The 70 acre grounds are open for public use, and are visited by many local walkers. Stretching down to the shores of Morecambe Bay, the grounds include mature woodland and landscaped gardens, including some very old and special arboretum trees.

From the bay there are scenic views across to Chapel Island and Morecambe, with the Lakeland hills and Yorkshire Dales in the distance.

The Priory provides a peaceful and inspiring environment in which people from all walks of life can learn about Buddhism and meditation. The centre is the site of the first Kadampa Buddhist Temple. This inspiring building is based on traditional Buddhist architecture.

The town of Ulverston is close by, and has all of the facilities and attractions that a small town can offer. You will also be close to the heart of the Lake District National Park, and if the views from the grounds tempt you, you can venture into the Lakes to breathe in the fresh air during a walk up the fells or to enjoy the spectacular scenery from a relaxing boat trip on the lake.

During the week, there will be a variety of activities at the centre which you are welcome to join. These will include workshops, meditation classes, and sessions about Buddhism.

The holiday takes place Saturday 20 Mar 2010 to Saturday 27 Mar 2010 and costs £190 per person. Minimum age is 16.

For further information on this and other BTCV conservation holidays visit our website www.btcv.org or contact the communications team on 01302 388883. Places are limited so early booking is advised.

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DISCOVER ANCIENT ARTOIS ON A BTCV CONSERVATION HOLIDAY

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Conservation charity BTCV, the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, is running active holidays to Le Chateau de Fressin, an enchanting fortess, in beautiful Azincourt.

Le Château de Fressin has been in ruins since the mid 17th century but the site is now being brought back to life by a group of enthusiastic holidaymakers and creative locals.

The chateau lies in the heart of the Artois region of France, not far from the port of Calais.

This 15th century fortress was built by Jean de Créquy and is now under the management of the Commune de Fressin.

During the seven night break visitors will work in and around the castle itself on a site covering four hectares.

The work will include a variety of jobs, all designed to make the castle, its history and the wider site more accessible to visitors.

The work is varied and interesting and includes making footpaths, steps, fences, guard-rails and the repair of a centrepiece wooden stage used to present re-enactments, theatre and arts events.

The Château de Fressin is managed by the Commune de Fressin (the town council) and it is the inspiring and creative work of the Association de Fressin, a Friends of the Chateau group, that has so far brought the castle back to life. BTCV holidaymakers will be based at the offices and visitor centre next door to the castle.

Sleeping accommodation is in several large and comfortable military tents in the grounds of the centre although guests can bring their own tents.

Guests live and work right in the heart of this small village community. There will be plenty of opportunity to socialise with the locals, practise your French and sample the local specialities.

And we couldn't be there at a better time – just in time for the celebrataions on July 14th.

Mike Heron, a previous volunteer, was full of praise for Le Chateau de Fressin. He said: "We were all bowled over by the charm of a magical site, and the genuine friendliness of the French people we met.

“We all enjoyed the fireworks, the Village Dance, the reception and farewell events with the Mayor."

For more information about BTCV, the UK’s leading conservation charity, or to book this July 10-17 holiday to Le Chateau visit www.btcv.org or call 01302 388 888.

Visitors arrange travel independently and the cost, excluding travel is £345. The group meets and depart from Calais (Frethun) Eurostar terminal. From there it's about an hour's drive on to Fressin in a minibus. Discount fares are as little as £55 return from London for this journey.

Catering is organised within the group.

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DISCOVER HEART AND SOUL OF JAPAN AS YOU BUILD A NATURE RESERVE

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Conservation charity BTCV is heading to Japan in June to help build a nature reserve in a wildlife rich wilderness.

Volunteers holidaying with the charity will visit Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan's four islands, where they will work with Kinashbetsu Wetland Trust to create a demonstration nature reserve.

Hokkaido represents about 20 per cent of the land area of Japan but is relatively sparsely populated with only five per cent of the population.

The area contains virgin forest, sand dunes, alpine plant areas, wetlands and farmland. The area is close to the most important wetland site in Japan and home to as many as 83 rare species of birds including Japanese crane, white tailed sea eagle, grey heron and Japanese snipe.

During the holiday from June 4th to 19th, participants will construct a bridge over a pond and a boardwalk around it. The aim is to encourage local people to use the reserve.

The project will also see the construction of a footpath and four mile walk from Shakubetsu station, to the waterside at the Kinashibetsu wetland and on to Chokubetsu Railway station.

The trip also serves to build local and regional interest in volunteering. Having an international group working alongside locals encourages Japanese participants to see the true value of their own natural resources - and the fun involved in their conservation.

BTCV has been working with the Kinashibetsu Wetland Trust since 1997 following interest from the National Trusts of Japan to establish the principle of conservation volunteering.

Visitors will stay at the Japanese National Trust volunteer house on the farm where much of the work is taking place. The house contains two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, living space, and an office room. Catering will be a mix of eating out in a range of Japanese restaurants and self-catering using as far as possible, produce from a neighbouring organic farm.

The conservation holiday costs £770 excluding flights and more information is available at www.btcv.org

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Employment skills for inmates in Cumbria

Monday, 18 January 2010

PRISONERS are being given help to learn new job skills and secure work on their release by a leading UK charity.

BTCV Enterprises, part of BTCV, the UK’s leading conservation charity, is working with prisoners in Cumbria to develop employment skills and support them into work.

Offenders selected to take part in the Skills for Jobs for Offenders programme are visited in prison by a BTCV personal work adviser.

Matt Wall is based at Haverigg Prison in Millom, Lancashire, and works closely with inmates up to two years before the end of their sentence to develop skills and help them achieve qualifications.

Matt helps prisoners prepare for release, arranges jobs and further training and even meets the inmates at the prison gates when they’ve served their sentence. He is on hand for six months after their release to support them and help overcome barriers to employment, and once someone is in work he provides support to help them to sustain it.

“It can be very difficult to find employment when you have a criminal record,” said Matt “So this scheme is making a huge difference to people’s prospects and lives. We work closely with them when they do get a job and carry on with reviews for 6 months to ensure they settle in okay and arrange for someone to visit them if they need support.”

Matt is based at Haverigg, a Category C prison, and is currently arranging visits to other prisons in Cumbria and the north of England, including HMP Durham.

Matt has volunteered with BTCV in the past and is now employed by the organisation which also works with employers to match suitably prepared and skilled people to job vacancies.

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Turning over a new leaf - £0.3million lottery grant for a Greener Leeds

Friday, 15 January 2010

In fantastic start to the New Year, BTCV the UK’s largest practical environmental charity, is delighted to announce a £0.3million lottery grant that will be spent on involving people from Leeds in the city’s natural environment.

Access to Nature in Leeds is an exciting, three-year project working with volunteers to create welcoming, well managed, wildlife rich sites across Leeds.

20,000 people will be able to access and enjoy nature, particularly in less advantaged areas of the city, thanks to the grant given to BTCV by Natural England as a part of the Big Lottery’s Changing Spaces programme. “I am absolutely delighted with the news,” said BTCV Area Manager Caroline Crossley, “It’s such a fantastic start to the new year! So many people have worked hard to secure this funding for Leeds, and it is a positive recognition of the huge contribution volunteering brings to the city’s natural environment. I would encourage as many people as possible to check out the www.accessnatureleeds.org website to see how they can get involved. ”

The project is being led by BTCV, the UKs largest practical conservation charity, with over thirty years experience working with people in Leeds to take hands-on action to improve their local environment.

BTCV wants to create a more sustainable future in Leeds by inspiring people and improving places, creating a better environment where people are valued, included and involved.

To do this, BTCV’s two well-known centres - Hollybush and Skelton Grange Environment Centre - will provide a programme of opportunities for volunteering, environmental and conservation skills training, education and natural play, walks and wildlife gardening. As well as Natural England and the Big Lottery’s funding, the programme is being supported by National Grid as a part of their commitment to community and the environment.

The project will also be working with Leeds Voice, making sure that the community’s views on Leeds’ natural environment are included in the city’s longer term decision making, so that the positive experiences of Access to Nature in Leeds will last well beyond the project itself. The project is to be announced at the Leeds City Museum’s A Greener City launch, a year long exhibition where museum visitors can be inspired by a collection of short films exploring environmental issues, conservation, healthy living and green spaces within the city of Leeds. People will be able to find out how they can get involved in Access to Nature in Leeds through the project’s own website www.accessnatureleeds.org

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Volunteer during studies give your career prospects a boost

Tuesday, 12 January 2010

Whether you’re doing a gap year or are a graduate at your wits end trying to find employment in difficult economic times, volunteering with conservation charity BTCV can improve your chances of finding that dream job.

During his gap year before university, 19-year-old Ramsey Deans volunteered with BTCV Scotland and found himself digging ponds and doing other valuable tasks.

Ramsey has since been named runner up in Scotland Young People of the Year Awards.

Ramsey, from Fintry, Aberdeenshire won the prize in the Buchanan’s of Scotland Young People of the Year awards for his dedication to environmental projects and for helping elderly people with their gardens.

The teenager’s time with BTCV has inspired him to continue environmental work and he plans to volunteer at university, studies permitting.

But if you’ve already graduated, there is still a chance to boost your CV with volunteering experience and show that you’ve got the edge over other candidates.

Kieren Jones left university with an animal biology degree and was desperately looking for employment for 18 months. He had also applied to teaching courses without success. Signing up to become a BTCV volunteer marked the end of this desperate time and he hasn’t looked back.

Kieren quickly became a group leader and within a few months he’d applied for a BTCV Natural Talent apprenticeship and was successful.

Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Natural Talent apprenticeships are based either in Scotland or in Northern Ireland.

The scheme offers amazing opportunities for people with an interest in our natural heritage to pursue a career in the environmental sector and become an expert in specialist ecological and conservation skills.

Kieren said: “I would highly recommend volunteering with BTCV. Not only did it open so many doors for me career-wise but it also improved me on a personal level.

“If you’re reading this and thinking about volunteering, or even if you were like me in the past and have dismissed volunteering, then you should consider BTCV as an option to help you make the breakthrough.

“Or, even if you just have some spare time and want to develop other skills, volunteering with BTCV could be the answer.”

Keiran is now working full-time to encourage the next generation of volunteers.

Masters student Louis Sargent took a gap year after graduating and volunteered for BTCV at the Hollybush Conservation Centre in Leeds for 3-4 days a week.

Working at a school to develop a large garden at an inner city primary school, this new found passion led Louis to switch academic interests altogether.

BTCV is a UK wide organisation and is also in partnership with international organisations to deliver conservation projects overseas.

Wherever you are, whatever your background or previous experience, you can get involved.

Find out more about how to develop you career with BTCV at www.btcv.org

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Offenders Help Make Essex Greener

Friday, 8 January 2010

Offenders supervised by Essex Probation Service are carrying out conservation work – and gaining recognised qualifications – as part of an innovative new partnership with leading environmental charity BTCV.

BTCV is working in partnership with Essex County Council (ECC) and Essex Probation to give offenders the opportunity to carry out unpaid environmental work as part of their court order.

Between September 2009 and March 2010, offenders from Colchester, Chelmsford and Basildon work three days a week on projects such as maintaining special verges where wildlife flourishes, clearing back bushes, and improving access to coastal paths.

All successful participants will receive an NVQ Level 1 in Communication and Teamwork and they can potentially work towards a City and Guilds certificate in Highways Management, making their CV more attractive to employers.

By the end of the project it is estimated that 120 offenders will have taken part and made visible reparations to communities as part of their court order.

The work also forms part of a wider strategy across Essex to make Probation’s Community Payback scheme - where offenders undertake a number of set hours of work in the community under court order - more localised and reflects community requests for action in their local area.

Councillor Tracey Chapman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Waste said: “Taking pride in our county and how it looks is something all of us can get involved in. We’re working to improve gateways into Essex, not only to make them more attractive but to increase biodiversity wherever possible following the county’s biodiversity action plan.”

“It is pleasing to see offenders giving back to the community and gaining valuable work experience at the same time and I hope that working on the project boosts their potential employability.”

Jon Bayley, Essex Gateways Project Trainer, BTCV said: “BTCV is working in conjunction with ECC to improve the employability of people who have been through the probation system and increase their awareness of the natural environment and its value.”

The scheme is already proving successful.

A 25-year-old who took part now plans to undertake a course in Conservation and Countryside Management at a local college having decided he would like a career in conservation. Another offender, aged 35, has gained so much from the conservation work undertaken he is going to continue coming out to work with the group every week on a voluntary basis. Neither of these men had done any volunteering or conservation work before.

Jon Bayley added, “I see participants gain an increased knowledge and awareness of the countryside, its ecology, and the issues facing it. I think the NVQ in employability skills is a great way of ensuring that the unpaid work order has the maximum positive effect for the offender and the community.

“I also see an increase in confidence and pro-social behaviour occurring as the groups go through the weeks together.”

Essex Probation Director Pete Mangan said, “We are delighted that our work with both the County Council and BTCV is producing the results we’re after. Giving offenders the skills to get a job is a major factor in cutting crime, and this partnership is a good example of Essex agencies working together to achieve this.”

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Work Focused Volunteering Placement Scheme Helps Redundant Media Professionals

Thursday, 7 January 2010

Media professionals hit by redundancy are increasingly turning to volunteering to help them back into work.

From April 2009 JobCentre Plus customers who have been out of work for six months or more have been offered the opportunity to take part in a Work Focused Volunteering Placement Scheme.

Unemployed people are being given increased access to volunteering options and many, including those looking for a way back into their chosen career, say the package of support is helping boost their confidence and job prospects.

In England the project is being managed by BTCV, the leading environmental charity, and delivered by BTCV, v, Volunteering England and CSV.

The scheme is an innovative and ambitious programme for the Third Sector to work directly with individual job seekers.

Many job seekers accepting placements have been made redundant from jobs in marketing and PR.

Claire, 34, was made redundant from her post as a marketing manager last year. After being out of work for eight months, BTCV arranged a voluntary placement with Breast Cancer Care.

She is now back in full time work but feels her voluntary experience served her well.

“Volunteering at Breast Cancer Care has been a very rewarding and fulfilling experience,” she explained.

“Having been unemployed, I had missed the social interaction that a working environment gives. Volunteering at Breast Cancer Care was good for me as I was amongst a friendly team and it felt good to be using my skills again.”

Mark, 33, an unemployed marketing manager, had been out of work for nine months when he was placed with a Berkshire charity which supports people with disabilities.

“The charity has extremely limited resources and it is in urgent need of funds to maintain services,” explained Mark, who initially volunteered with the charity for one month but has now vowed to continue until he finds work.

“Volunteering allows me to utilise my specialised marketing skills.

“My role is to create and implement a Marketing and PR strategy, raise awareness of the charity to new members, groups, sponsors and the general public. I create stories for the local media and ensure that any fundraising events and activities are in line with our strategy.”

Tom Flood CBE, BTCV Chief Executive, said: "Volunteering with BTCV gives jobseekers' CV's credibility and is also the impetus towards a healthier, more environmentally friendly lifestyle.

“Many individuals who have been on Job Seekers’ Allowance for over six months lack motivation and self esteem and volunteering with BTCV and its partners through this scheme is the first step to regaining confidence and learning new skills.

"For people who have been out of work for a long time, or who have never had a job, newly acquired skills learned by volunteering can make all the difference. It also demonstrates to a potential employer that the volunteer is capable of holding down a job.”

In the next four years BTCV is aiming to actively support 1.5 million people in environmental action and move 50,000 people into employment. BTCV makes a significant impact on the UK and International environment by inspiring 300,000 people to look after more than 50,000 places.

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MUM AND SON MARCH WITH CARBON ARMY

Thursday, 17 December 2009

Mum and son Jane and Max Stevensen have joined thousands of environmental volunteers across the UK to prove that actions speak louder than words.

Jane, a trustee of BTCV (formerly the British Trust for Conservation), joined BTCV’s Carbon Army with her 12-year-old son in Colchester.

Jane is a Course Director for Cambridge University’s Institute of Continuing Education in Environmental and Earth Sciences and was made a Non-Executive Director of BTCV in 2008. She’s also a trustee of TRUE, the London Trust for Urban Ecology.

Max attends Orwell Park School in Nacton, near Ipswich.

Mum and son, from Woodbridge, Suffolk, joined the Carbon Army at The Colne Valley Nature Reserve, near Wivenhoe.

Despite the cold weather, the pair along with other volunteers coppiced trees to keep the woodland floor clear and bright for ground flora that numerous insects depend on.

Coppicing is a traditional woodland skill that encourages the rapid re-growth of shoots allowing for a sustainable supply of timber.

Leading environment charity BTCV believes actions speak louder than words and during the UN Climate Change summit in Copenhagen volunteers from Colchester, and across the UK, took action.

BTCV launched its Carbon Army to tie in with the recent climate change talks.

During the first three weeks of December, Carbon Army volunteers carried out a total of almost 6000 action days on projects such as tree planting, wetland management and coppicing.

BTCV's vision is a better environment where people are valued, included and involved.

The charity supports communities all over the UK, and beyond, in taking practical action on climate change.

Tom Flood CBE, BTCV Chief Executive, said: “While others bombard governments with demands for action, BTCV and our thousands of environmental volunteers demonstrated a willingness to act without needing to wait.

“BTCV's Carbon Army is visible proof that local communities can play a part in tackling climate change. The world is in our hands.”

BTCV is a charity and needs donations to support its ongoing work getting people and communities involved in improving their local place. www.btcv.org/donate

Visit the Carbon Army website for more details www.btcv.org/carbonarmy

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North West Carbon Army on the march

Thursday, 17 December 2009

BTCV Carbon Army volunteers gather to take climate change action

Leading environment charity BTCV believes actions speak louder than words.

So during the UN Climate Change summit in Copenhagen up to 100 BTCV volunteers from Cheshire, Manchester and Merseyside are preparing to take action tomorrow.

BTCV has launched its Carbon Army to tie in with the climate change talks. For the sake of the planet, world leaders must reach an effective deal.

PHOTO OPPORTUNITY 11.30-13.30

On Friday 18 December up to 100 BTCV volunteers will be descending on the small rural village of Tattenhall to complete the planting of over 2000 trees and shrubs to create 340 metres of brand new wildlife hedgerow around the perimeter of Tattenhall Outdoor Education Centre.

Hedgerow plants for the project are being funded by the Habitats and Hillforts Project (managed by Cheshire West and Chester Council)

They’re among thousands of volunteers carrying out 3000 days of action in the first three weeks of December – one day for every delegate at the summit.

Across the UK some are volunteering at BTCV local food growing projects to reduce the carbon impact of food miles while others are helping to conserve urban green spaces to keep cities cool.

BTCV's vision is a better environment where people are valued, included and involved. The charity supports communities all over the UK, and beyond, in taking practical action on climate change.

Tom Flood CBE, BTCV Chief Executive, said: “While others bombard governments with demands for action, BTCV and our thousands of environmental volunteers will demonstrate a willingness to act without needing to wait.

“BTCV's Carbon Army and its 3,000 Days of Action are visible proof that local communities can play a part in tackling climate change. The world is in our hands.”

BTCV is a charity and needs donations to support its ongoing work getting people and communities involved in improving their local place. www.btcv.org/donate BTCV’s Carbon Army is frontline action on climate change and directly enables YOU to make a difference.

There’s still time to get involved and make a difference to your local community and the planet.

You could come along to a BTCV Carbon Army action day, sign our letter to the UK government or donate.

Visit the Carbon Army website for more details www.btcv.org/carbonarmy

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BTCV in line to secure £500,000 from Future Jobs Fund to create 150 jobs

Thursday, 17 December 2009

The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) has had a £500,000 bid for its Green Jobs initiative approved by the Department for Work and Pensions.

The bid forms part of the Future Jobs Fund and could see 150 jobs created in England between January 2010 and March 2011.

First announced in 2009 as part of the Young Person’s Guarantee, the Fund aims to create 150,000 additional jobs across in England.

These jobs will deliver a community benefit and are targeted towards 18-24 year olds who have been unemployed for a year. The jobs will last a minimum of six months and will be for at least 25 hours per week.

BTCV’s Green Jobs will involve employees helping to organise and lead environmental volunteering and community environmental projects both on behalf of the BTCV and potentially other partners.

The Fund will form part of the BTCV’s strategic goal of supporting 50,000 people into paid employment over four years. Green Jobs will support other BTCV’s initiatives such as the Work Focused Volunteering Placements scheme.

Typical Green Jobs on offer will include:

• Conservation of protected areas such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Sites of Specific Interest.

• Maintenance and improvement of urban green spaces including parks, nature reserves and school grounds.

• Food growing projects.

Typical project tasks will vary from liaison with landowners through to practical work on-site.

Miles Sibley, Development Director for the BTCV comments: “We are delighted to have been awarded funding for our Green Jobs initiative. We are dedicated to helping 50,000 people into paid employment and funding from the Future Jobs Fund will help us realise these ambitions.”

The Fund is run by the Department for Work and Pensions in partnership with the Department for Communities and Local Government and with input from Jobcentre Plus Regional Government Offices in England. The proposals have been agreed in principle but are still subject to change.

Ed Miliband volunteers with BTCV’s Carbon Army

Friday, 4 December 2009

Just days before he travels to Copenhagen to try and reach a global deal on climate change, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has been environmental volunteering in South Yorkshire. Ed Miliband, Doncaster North MP, today joined BTCV (British Trust of Conservation Volunteers) to support the leading environmental charity’s Carbon Army campaign.

Throughout December BTCV’s Carbon Army of volunteers will be carrying out frontline action on climate change.

As 3,000 delegates – including Mr Miliband – travel to the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen to talk about climate change, BTCV will head into local communities across the UK to actively give 3,000 days of environmental volunteering to combat global-warming.

BTCV’s Carbon Army will be volunteering at BTCV local food growing project to reduce the carbon impact of food miles and planting trees to soak up carbon. Others will be helping to conserve urban green spaces to keep cities cool.

BTCV aims to prove that by acting collectively, individuals can make a difference to a global problem.

The Carbon Army – www.btcv.org/carbonarmy - is BTCV’s biggest campaign in its 50 year history and Mr Miliband volunteered with BTCV’s Carbon Army in his constituency in Thorne, South Yorkshire.

He planted trees to help soak up carbon and improve biodiversity.

Mr Miliband said: “The UK has the most ambitious emissions reduction commitments in the world and with projects like BTCV’s Carbon Army, the UK is well placed to show it is taking action at a community level to combat climate change. The Carbon Army gives people a great opportunity to get involved in their community and take local action on climate change. With the Copenhagen summit now upon us, BTCV’s Carbon Army can help show how Britain is serious about cleaning up the environment and tackling climate change.”

The location for Mr Miliband’s visit was Buntings Wood, in Thorne - an area of former agricultural land.

Mr Miliband was joined by local volunteers from the leading environmental charity and by its Chairman Rupert Evenett.

BTCV Chairman Rupert Evenett said: “Many climate change campaigns focus on raising awareness but BTCV prefers to go straight into action - showing people practical ways to tackle climate change individually and collectively. We’re delighted Mr Miliband has given his support to BTCV’s Carbon Army and we wish him well ahead of his critical visit to Copenhagen.”

During BTCV’s 3000 days of action the Carbon Army could • Plant 1.4 million trees (enough to stretch from London to Brighton at three trees per metre), or • Create enough allotment space to save three million food miles, or • Turn an area the size of 34 Wembley football pitches in to urban green spaces. Join BTCV’s Carbon Army and local action day visit http://www.btcv.org/carbonarmy.

BTCV’s School Green Gym wins top charity award

Monday, 30 November 2009

BTCV’s School Green Gym programme has won first prize at this year’s Children and Young People Now Awards in the Health and Wellbeing category.

The CYP Now Awards are organised in association with the Children's Workforce Development Council and recognise the achievements of practitioners and volunteers who dedicate their energies to bettering the lives of children, young people and their families and don't do it for financial reward.

Environmental volunteering charity BTCV has been running Green Gyms for adults for over 10 years. The Green Gym encourages people to take part in practical conservation tasks, such as planting trees and digging ponds, to help improve both their physical and mental health.

A Section 64 grant from the Department of Health, enabled BTCV to set up a pilot School Green Gym programme which ran from September 2006 to March 2009 in nine primary schools across England.

The schools were in some of the most deprived parts of the country, where local people are worst off in terms of health.

Growing concerns about children’s health meant that BTCV was keen to see if the Green Gym idea could also be introduced into schools. Three out of 10 boys and four out of 10 girls do not do enough activity to benefit their health.

An independent evaluation of the Green Gym by Oxford Brookes University showed that children’s health improved significantly after 10 weeks of Green Gym.

The sessions were designed to provide a variety of fun physical activities, to enable children of all fitness levels to get involved and to keep them interested enough to keep coming along. Projects included building raised vegetable beds, constructing woodchip footpaths, growing vegetables and flowers, planting trees, composting and ‘minibeast’ hunts.

There were also warm-up and cool-down exercises specially developed for children by BTCV, including environmentally themed games to get the children moving. The children were involved in many aspects of the running of the programme, from selecting what food they would like to grow to taking turns in leading the warm-up exercises.

Yvonne Hunt, BTCV Health Development Manager said: “We’ve seen children’s health and self-confidence transformed by the Green Gym, and we’re delighted to receive this award in recognition of these benefits. We’re already making plans to expand the programme into many more schools.”

For further information BTCV Green Gym and BTCV Health Initiatives, contact BTCV on 01302 388833 or email information@btcv.org.uk

British Trust for Conservation Volunteers mobilises its new Carbon Army

Thursday, 26 November 2009

UK’s largest green volunteering charity teams up with Charlie Dimmock and Nick Herbert MP to launch its most intensive effort to fight climate change in 50-year history

Celebrity gardener Charlie Dimmock and Shadow Environment Minister Nick Herbert MP were on hand today to support the launch of the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers’ (BTCV) Carbon Army, and the first of its manoeuvres – ‘3000 Days of Action’. The new initiative will see 300,000 volunteers mobilised in the fight against global warming.

Today’s launch took place at Lauderdale House, London against a backdrop of Carbon Army recruits delivering the first actions of the ‘3000 Days’ campaign. Conceived as a direct response to the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen next month, the initiative will see 3000 volunteer days – one for every delegate attending the conference – given between 1-18th December 2009 in proactive conservation efforts across hundreds of UK communities to show those in Copenhagen what could be achieved with deeds rather than just words.

During the 3000 Days of Action, BTCV will seek to offset the carbon emissions of all of the delegates attending the conference through a number of planned activities around the country. This could see the Carbon Army: • Plant 1.4 million trees (enough to stretch from London to Brighton at three trees per metre), or • Create enough allotment space to save three million food miles, or • Turn an area the size of 34 Wembley football pitches in to urban green spaces.

Linking the aims of BTCV and the Carbon Army to those of the Conservative Party, keynote speaker Shadow Environment Minister Nick Herbert, told the launch attendees: "The Carbon Army is a fine example of active citizens taking practical steps to improve the environment and it builds on BTCV's long and admirable record of mobilising volunteers to make a real difference.

“I want to build on our plans for all school leavers to conduct some form of National Citizen Service, by inviting BTCV and other leading conservation charities to help run some of these voluntary programmes.

"Our National Citizen Service programme would see a big expansion in the number of young people engaged in some form of volunteering. Conservation charities should be heavily involved. By boosting volunteering and harnessing young peoples' enthusiasm, we can help conserve our environment and create a stronger society."

Ms Dimmock added: “Today’s launch is just the beginning of a concentrated period of conservation by volunteers designed to emphasise that global change can only be achieved through the actions of you and I. The kitchen garden being planted here today by the Carbon Army unit – which will contribute to the reduction of food miles – shows how easy it is to make a difference, and how easy it is to say ‘no’ to the hot air of Copenhagen.

Carbon Army volunteers will be involved in hundreds of projects up and down the country between 1-18th December as part of the 3000 Days of Action. These include hedge laying in Reading, preparing and planting allotments in Llanhilleth, seed processing in Bristol and tree planting in Cumbria.

BTCV Chief Executive, Tom Flood, aid: “The UN Copenhagen Climate Change Conference has been billed as the most important meeting in history, and that is part of the problem – it scares people off and makes the problem seem too big.

“Our fear is that it will just be more hot air. The Carbon Army and its 3000 Days of Action is all about mobilising people to show that they can make a difference, and that the infrastructure and energy to make a tangible change exist, wherever you live in the UK, thanks to organisations like BTCV.

“We’re giving people the chance to get involved in real projects that we know will have positive benefits to themselves, their communities and the environment in general.”

For further information about the Carbon Army and its 3000 Days of Action campaign, visit www.btcv.org.

NEW £250,000 SCHEME TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH LAUNCHED

Tuesday, 3 November 2009

A pioneering £250,000 programme to encourage people experiencing mental distress to become environmental volunteers has been launched in Leeds.

Leading environmental volunteering charity BTCV will deliver the Wellbeing Comes Naturally project across England.

The aim of the project is to encourage people experiencing mental distress to improve their health, confidence and skills by joining a conservation group.

The project has been funded by Big Lottery Fund through the Ecominds grant scheme.

Almost 500 people will benefit from the project which matches volunteers with regular sessions of nature conservation and volunteers will be involved in projects such as vegetable growing and biodiversity work.

Wellbeing Comes Naturally was launched this week at BTCV’s Hollybush Conservation Centre at Kirkstall, Leeds, which will run one of the weekly conservation groups.

BTCV’s Chief Executive Tom Flood CBE spoke at the launch as did Mind Director of Network Support Lee Smith and BTCV volunteer Dave Liversidge from Leeds.

BTCV Chief Executive Tom Flood said: “The quality of our environment affects quality of life and people with access to green space have both better physical and mental health than those who don’t. Wellbeing Comes Naturally will help people to use the environment to improve their health. It will help build confidence and self esteem and make a real difference to people’s lives.”

Dave Liversidge, who has mental health problems and lives at Lincoln Green, Leeds, said: “I live in a tower block with 500 other people and you might think it’s a sociable place to live. But it’s the loneliest place on earth. Without BTCV and the friends I’ve made at Hollybush, my life would be practically intolerable. That’s why schemes like Wellbeing Comes Naturally are so important.”

The Wellbeing Comes Naturally grant is one of 120 to be allocated by Ecominds, a unique £7.5 million scheme delivered by the mental health charity Mind and funded by the Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme. In addition to involving people in ecotherapy projects to better their mental wellbeing, Ecominds will promote the inclusion of people with mental health problems into their communities and combat mental health discrimination.

Barry Watts, Grants Manager of Ecominds added: “What we liked about the Wellbeing Comes Naturally project was that we could see how it would directly benefit the future of people with mental health problems on a long-term basis, teaching skills and providing a vital support network.”

Mick Denness, BTCV’s Head of Healthy and Sustainable Communities, added: "Wellbeing Comes Naturally will be invaluable in helping to transform the lives of people across England who are experiencing mental distress. We can’t wait to get started and look forward to improving local environments across the country for everyone to enjoy."

BTCV, the UK’s leading practical environmental charity, is committed to improving health and mental wellbeing and aims to help 500,000 become fitter and improve their mental health over the next four years.

Many people have green spaces nearby but lack the incentive or opportunity to visit them. BTCV offers people reasons to visit green spaces and a purposeful, sociable and enjoyable experience when they get there.

Working out in green spaces is a great way to relieve stress and can help to combat depression. In a recent Mind study after just one country walk, 90 per cent of participants had increased self-esteem and 71 per cent reported decreased feelings of depression. Those who regularly volunteer with BTCV report feeling fitter and having more energy than before.

To find out how BTCV can help you improve your health and environment visit www.btcv.org or call 01302 388 883.

Read more...

NEW £250,000 SCHEME TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH LAUNCHED TODAY

Monday, 2 November 2009

A pioneering £250,000 programme to encourage people experiencing mental distress to become environmental volunteers is being launched today (November 2) in Leeds.

Leading environmental volunteering charity BTCV will deliver the Wellbeing Comes Naturally project across England.

The aim of the project is to encourage people experiencing mental distress to improve their health, confidence and skills by joining a conservation group.

The project has been funded by Big Lottery Fund through the Ecominds grant scheme.

Almost 500 people will benefit from the project which matches volunteers with regular sessions of nature conservation and volunteers will be involved in projects such as vegetable growing and biodiversity work.

Wellbeing Comes Naturally is being launched at BTCV’s Hollybush Conservation Centre at Kirkstall, Leeds, which will run one of the weekly conservation groups.

BTCV’s Chief Executive Tom Flood CBE will speak at the launch as will Mind Director of Network Support Lee Smith and Ecominds Grants Officer, Richard Williams.

BTCV Chief Executive Tom Flood said: “The quality of our environment affects quality of life and people with access to green space have both better physical and mental health than those who don’t. Wellbeing Comes Naturally will help people to use the environment to improve their health. It will help build confidence and self esteem and make a real difference to people’s lives.”

The grant is one of 120 to be allocated by Ecominds, a unique £7.5 million scheme delivered by the mental health charity Mind and funded by the Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme. In addition to involving people in ecotherapy projects to better their mental wellbeing, Ecominds will promote the inclusion of people with mental health problems into their communities and combat mental health discrimination.

Barry Watts, Grants Manager of Ecominds added: “What we liked about the Wellbeing Comes Naturally project was that we could see how it would directly benefit the future of people with mental health problems on a long-term basis, teaching skills and providing a vital support network.”

Mick Denness, BTCV’s Head of Healthy and Sustainable Communities, added: "Wellbeing Comes Naturally will be invaluable in helping to transform the lives of people across England who are experiencing mental distress. We can’t wait to get started and look forward to improving local environments across the country for everyone to enjoy."

BTCV, the UK’s leading practical environmental charity, is committed to improving health and mental wellbeing and aims to help 500,000 become fitter and improve their mental health over the next four years.

Many people have green spaces nearby but lack the incentive or opportunity to visit them. BTCV offers people reasons to visit green spaces and a purposeful, sociable and enjoyable experience when they get there.

Working out in green spaces is a great way to relieve stress and can help to combat depression. In a recent Mind study after just one country walk, 90 per cent of participants had increased self-esteem and 71 per cent reported decreased feelings of depression. Those who regularly volunteer with BTCV report feeling fitter and having more energy than before.

To find out how BTCV can help you improve your health and environment visit www.btcv.org or call 01302 388 888.

Read more...

BTCV's free volunteering sessions in the environment improve mental-health

Wednesday, 28 October 2009

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) today published guidance on the treatment and management of depression in adults with chronic physical health problems.

It advised that patients with chronic physical health problems such as cancer, heart disease or diabetes should be offered structured group physical activity programmes or group-based peer support (self-help) programmes.

Leading environmental volunteering charity BTCV works extensively with people with mental health problems and BTCV’s free structured volunteering sessions have been proven to improve mental health among those taking part.

BTCV is an environmental volunteering organisation. We involve significant numbers of volunteers with mental or physical health problems with local conservation projects across the UK.

We break down barriers, tackle exclusion and enable volunteers to build confidence and gain new skills. The most well known and pioneering of BTCV’s health initiatives is the Green Gym® - an innovative alternative to the traditional gym or leisure centre, which provides a natural workout in the outdoors.

The BTCV Green Gym is the only “health and nature” programme to be independently evaluated over a five-year period. The study, by Oxford Brookes University’s School of Health and Social Care, found that those who joined with the poorest mental health scores showed the most significant improvements. In addition, 99% of participants felt that their health and confidence improved.

Volunteers like Norwich mum Liz Howarth, aged 42, say volunteering with BTCV has improved their mental health and their life.

Liz had suffered from depression, agoraphobia and other mental health issues

Life was full of dread, anxiety, depression, tears, worry and frequent trips to my doctor. But since becoming a volunteer with BTCV, her life has changed.

“My confidence and self-worth have grown and continue to do so,” says Liz, from Norwich.

“I feel a sense of purpose and the good feeling I get is benefiting my daughter. I can be quiet whilst volunteering when I need to feel peace. “I have spoken to other volunteers and this is a sentiment shared by others who also have depression, agoraphobic tendencies and mental health issues.

Fellow volunteer Bob Warburton aged 46 was severely depressed and in need of substantial NHS support when he joined BTCV. He has now been volunteering for five years and spends two days a week felling trees, clearing ditches and cleaning ponds.

He spends a lot of time with volunteers suffering from autism, depression and physical disabilities and says the experience has helped him turn his life around.

Read more...

Young Soldiers Conserve River Ouse to Make Way for Rare Species

Friday, 23 October 2009

Young soldiers have been undertaking vital conservation work in York as part of their army training.

Platoon 3 from Harrogate Army Foundation College joined environmental volunteering charity BTCV to clean 100 metres of willow from the banks of the River Ouse in York.

Around 50 young soldiers spent time volunteering with BTCV. Volunteering is an important part of the army recruits’ training course.

The recruits pulled thousands of himalayan balsalm plants and raked an area along the river bank to make way for native species of beetles and ferns.

The River Ouse in York provides the only home in the UK for the Tansy beetle - an attractive bright green leaf beetle, with a coppery sheen. It received its name because the favoured habitat is on riverbanks on Tansy plants.

A spokesperson for Fulford Parish Council said: "I am absolutely thrilled. It all looks fantastic. I shall always remember the picture of those young soldiers marching along in their bright red tops, camouflage rucksacks on their backs and rakes and saws in their hands."

The project was run by BTCV's York team and supported by Greenprints, a scheme to encourage environmental volunteering among 16-25 year olds. BTCV, an environmental charity which works with 300,000 volunteers a year, runs practical conservation activities in York several times a week.

The tasks are varied so there are always opportunities for volunteers to get involved with the projects and to learn new skills.

Volunteers not only learn new skills, they’re also able to keep fit and improve an area of the local community whilst making new friends.

Visit www.btcv.org.uk for more information or call the York team on 01904 644300 or email york@btcv.org.uk

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Charlie Dimmock to present awards to BTCV Green Heroes

Saturday, 17 October 2009

Celebrity Gardener Charlie Dimmock will present BTCV Green Heroes with their awards at the Country Living Christmas Fair.

Charlie will also help out at the BTCV stand prior to the event, meeting visitors and giving away herb seeds.

BTCV supports 300,000 volunteers to take part in practical environmental projects in their communities and the annual Green Heroes Awards celebrate the remarkable achievements of volunteers from across the UK.

There are seven award categories which cover the diverse range of individual volunteers and groups that BTCV supports including Volunteer of the Year, Young Volunteer of the Year, Better Life Award, Dave Donohue Award, Project of the Year, Community Group of the Year and Local Partnership Award.

The winner of the BTCV Green Hero Volunteer of the Year award this year goes to Bruce Maclennan from Dingwall, Ross-shire, Scotland. Bruce’s hugely positive approach, despite his learning difficulties, has been instrumental in making the Inverness Green Gym a warm and welcoming group for a wide range of people.

The award for Young Volunteer of the Year goes to Shawn Streeter. Shawn took up volunteering three years ago with a conservation group in West Sussex. He then joined a BTCV’s Community Network Group and now also co-ordinates a Health Walks programme around his village. Since training as a leader two years ago, and at only 14 years old, he is the youngest qualified Health Walks leader in the country.

Charlie Dimmock has been a BTCV supporter for several years.

Charlie Dimmock said: “Meeting BTCV’s Green Heroes and hearing how they make an amazing difference to their communities and the environment is really inspiring. I congratulate all of them on their superb efforts.”

BTCV Chief Executive Tom Flood said: “BTCV Green Heroes are remarkable people. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of climate change, but Green Heroes demonstrate the difference individuals and groups can make.”

Read more...

VOLUNTEERING SCHEME IMPROVES FOCUS FOR LONG TERM UNEMPLOYED

Friday, 16 October 2009

Unemployed people who have been given increased access to volunteering options say the new package of support is helping boost their confidence and job prospects.

From April this year JobCentre Plus customers who have been out of work for six months or more have been offered the opportunity to take part in a Work Focused Volunteering Placement Scheme.

BTCV, the leading environmental charity, is one of four volunteering organisations delivering the scheme which is run in partnership with CSV, VE and V.

It’s an innovative and ambitious programme for the Third Sector to work directly with individual job seekers.

BTCV has placed 1128 unemployed volunteers since the programme went live in April. Together the partner organisations have placed more than 2365 volunteers.

Among the satisfied volunteers is 31-year-old Ian from London.

Ian, a retail manager, had been out of work for six months when he agreed to a one day volunteering placement clearing an allotment.

He enjoyed his BTCV volunteering placement so much he returned for a further two task days.

“I now have a paid job but I put that I had volunteered on my CV and I think it looked really impressive and gave me something to talk about at interview,” explained Ian.

“I would really recommend it to other people who are in the position that I was.” Glenn, 53, from East London has been unemployed since 2001.

He has been volunteering at a charity store for two days a week since August and feels the Work Focused Volunteering Placement Scheme has helped him prepare for a return to work.

“This has been the best thing I’ve done for years. It’s the first time I’ve really wanted to go back to work. It’s given me a real sense of purpose and it’s rewarding knowing that I am doing something that really helps other people.” Tom Flood CBE, BTCV Chief Executive, said: "Volunteering with BTCV gives jobseekers' CV's credibility and is also the impetus towards a healthier, more environmentally friendly lifestyle.

“Many individuals who have been on Job Seekers’ Allowance for over six months lack motivation and self esteem and volunteering with BTCV and its partners through this scheme is the first step to regaining confidence and learning new skills.

"For people who have been out of work for a long time, or who have never had a job, newly acquired skills learned by volunteering can make all the difference. It also demonstrates to a potential employer that the volunteer is capable of holding down a job.”

In the next four years BTCV is aiming to actively support 1.5 million people in environmental action and move 50,000 people into employment. BTCV makes a significant impact on the UK and International environment by inspiring 300,000 people to look after more than 50,000 places.

Read more...

School Green Gym wins national BTCV Green Heroes award

Friday, 16 October 2009

Environmental charity BTCV has awarded the All Saints School Green Gym in Richmond Hill, Leeds, with a national award for involving both children and parents in environmental projects.

All Saints School Green Gym had been shortlisted for BTCV’s Green Heroes awards in the Community Group of the Year category.

Beating off stiff competition from across the UK, the group has now been named overall national winner.

BTCV’s annual Green Hero Awards recognise people and groups who have made a special contribution to the environment, often in the face of challenges and difficulties.

The regular weekly environment sessions have made a huge impact on the school grounds, with activities such as growing vegetables, clearing a pond and planting spring bulbs and flowers. They have spread the word about food growing and healthy eating to parents, teachers and the other children, increased their knowledge and skills, and had lots of fun!

Many of the children involved have emotional problems, including low self esteem. The Green Gym has enabled them to feel included, gain confidence in their abilities, make new friends and feel pride in their achievements.

Along with BTCV’s other Green Hero winners, members of the group will be invited to a prestigious award ceremony at Country Living magazine’s Christmas Fair on November 11 where they will be presented with their award by celebrity gardener, Charlie Dimmock.

BTCV is Country Living’s charity of the year.

The independent panel of judges commented: “This group have had a profound effect on their teachers, parents and community. This is a project which could potentially influence governments and be rolled out across the board.”

BTCV Chief Executive Tom Flood said: “BTCV Green Heroes are remarkable people. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of climate change, but Green Heroes demonstrate the difference individuals and groups can make.”

Read more...

Broxtowe partnership wins national BTCV Green Heroes award

Thursday, 15 October 2009

Environmental charity BTCV has awarded Broxtowe Borough Council a national award which recognises the lengthy partnership between the charity and local authority.

Broxtowe Borough Council had been shortlisted for BTCV’s Green Heroes awards in the Local Partnership category but beating off stiff competition from across the UK, the council has now been named overall national winner.

BTCV’s annual Green Hero Awards recognise people and groups who have made a special contribution to the environment, often in the face of challenges and difficulties.

The partnership between BTCV and Broxtowe Borough Council was established more than 25 years ago. Staff from the council, BTCV and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust hold regular meetings where activities are reviewed. In 2008-2009 BTCV delivered 59 project days across seven council sites.

Broxtowe was praised for its willingness to flexibly schedule work programmes in a way that met its own objectives as well as those of BTCV. Work around the Nottingham Canal, a site which provides regular work for BTCV conservation holidays, was held up as good example of collaborative working.

Along with BTCV’s other Green Hero winners, members of the partnership will be invited to a prestigious award ceremony at Country Living magazine’s Christmas Fair on November 11 where he will be presented with his award by celebrity gardener, Charlie Dimmock.

BTCV is Country Living’s charity of the year.

BTCV Chief Executive Tom Flood said: “BTCV Green Heroes are remarkable people. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of climate change, but Green Heroes demonstrate the difference individuals and groups can make.”

Read more...

Southwater teenager wins national BTCV Green Heroes award

Wednesday, 14 October 2009

Environmental charity BTCV has named Southwater schoolboy Shawn Streeter its national Young Volunteer of the Year.

Shawn, aged 14, beat off stiff competition from finalists across the UK to land the honour which is awarded by BTCV, the leading environmental charity which works with 300,000 volunteers across the UK and abroad.

BTCV’s annual Green Hero Awards recognise people and groups who have made a special contribution to the environment, often in the face of challenges and difficulties.

Shawn took up volunteering three years ago with Storrington Conservation Volunteers then joined BTCV’s Community Network Group’s Sandgate Conservation Society and another group Storrington Green Fingers.

He also co-ordinates a Health Walks programme around his village and since training as a leader two years ago, he still remains the youngest qualified Health Walks leader in the country.

Shawn’s dedication to volunteering was praised by Green Heroes judges who said: “The breadth of his volunteering and his commitment is just amazing.”

Shawn has encouraged some of his schoolfriends to volunteer and this has helped change the whole emphasis of the group making it truly intergenerational.

Along with BTCV’s other Green Hero winners, Shawn will be invited to a prestigious award ceremony at Country Living magazine’s Christmas Fair on November 11 where he will be presented with his award by celebrity gardener, Charlie Dimmock.

BTCV is Country Living’s charity of the year.

BTCV Chief Executive Tom Flood said: “BTCV Green Heroes like Shawn are remarkable people. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of climate change, but Green Heroes demonstrate the difference individuals and groups can make.”

Dingwall man wins national BTCV Green Heroes award

Wednesday, 14 October 2009

Environmental charity BTCV has hailed a volunteer from Dingwall as one of the UK’s Green Heroes, for making a real difference to the environment and the local community.

BTCV (formerly the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers) is 50 years old this year and works with around 300,000 volunteers across the UK. Its annual Green Hero Awards recognise people and groups who have made a special contribution to their local environment, often in the face of challenges and difficulties.

Details of the regional Green Heroes Award winners went before a panel of independent judges who had the tough task of deciding who would take the national award for Volunteer of the Year and Dingwall’s Bruce MacLennan was selected.

Bruce’s hugely positive approach, despite his learning difficulties, has been instrumental in making the Inverness Green Gym a warm and welcoming group for a wide range of people.

He is a very regular volunteer, coming out in all weathers, and has a limitless enthusiasm for the work he is doing. He has made people with mental health and other issues feel welcome and accepted into the group, helping all the volunteers to work together and accept each other in a positive way.

Bruce is also much appreciated as the team’s time-keeper, making sure the all-important tea breaks are bang on schedule.

Bruce will now be invited to a prestigious award ceremony at Country Living magazine’s Christmas Fair on 11 November where he will be presented with his award by celebrity gardener, Charlie Dimmock. As Country Living’s charity of the year, BTCV opted to hold the awards at the fair.

BTCV Chief Executive Tom Flood said: “BTCV Green Heroes are remarkable people. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of climate change, but Green Heroes demonstrate the difference individuals and groups can make.”

Read more...

Carrickfergus Garden of Eden wins national BTCV Green Heroes award

Wednesday, 14 October 2009

Environmental charity BTCV has awarded the Garden of Eden Allotment project a national award for improving the mental health of vulnerable adults by involving them in practical gardening work.

The Garden of Eden project, based in Carrickfergus, had been shortlisted for BTCV’s Green Heroes awards in the Project of the Year category.

Beating off stiff competition from across the UK, the Garden of Eden has now been named overall national winner.

BTCV’s annual Green Hero Awards recognise people and groups who have made a special contribution to the environment, often in the face of challenges and difficulties. BTCV, which operates under the name CVNI in Northern Ireland, is the leading environmental volunteering charity in the UK.

The allotment was established to involve residents of sheltered accommodation and people involved with a drug and alcohol rehabilitation group in practical work to improve their mental health.

They have worked hard to create an allotment which is used to its full potential to produce home grown fruit and vegetables.

It has improved the physical abilities of those involved by providing a means for gentle exercise, and fresh organic produce which they can take home. It has also improved their mental health by providing a safe social setting and a fun, relaxed working environment.

Along with BTCV’s other Green Hero winners, members of the group will be invited to a prestigious award ceremony at Country Living magazine’s Christmas Fair on November 11 where they will be presented with his award by celebrity gardener, Charlie Dimmock.

BTCV is Country Living’s charity of the year.

The independent panel of judges commented: “This project demonstrates the obvious health benefits of getting involved with BTCV, it’s a strong inclusive project which shows how volunteering can have tangible benefits to people with mental health and drug and alcohol problems.”

BTCV Chief Executive Tom Flood said: “BTCV Green Heroes are remarkable people. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of climate change, but Green Heroes demonstrate the difference individuals and groups can make.”

Read more...

Norwich woman wins national BTCV Green Heroes award

Wednesday, 14 October 2009

Environmental charity BTCV has named Norwich mum Liz Howarth its national ‘Better Life’ Green Hero.

Norwich mum Liz Howarth has been honoured with a Better Life Green Hero award beating off stiff competition from across the UK.

Liz’s remarkable story impressed the judges who had to choose one of seven finalists from across the UK to land the honour.

The award comes from BTCV, the leading environmental charity which works with 300,000 volunteers across the UK and abroad.

BTCV’s annual Green Hero Awards recognise people and groups who have made a special contribution to the environment, often in the face of challenges and difficulties.

For many years Liz Howarth suffered from depression, agoraphobia and other mental health issues while also trying to support a daughter with behavioural challenges.

Life was full of dread, anxiety, worry and frequent trips to her doctor. Since starting with her local Green Gym, her life has changed. Her confidence and self-worth have grown and continue to do so and she says that, in turn, this benefits her daughter.

Liz has taken part in over 40 Green Gym sessions and is confident at passing on her skills to other and is exceptional at recruiting new volunteers.

She will now be invited to a prestigious award ceremony at Country Living magazine’s Christmas Fair on 11 November where she will be presented with her award by celebrity gardener, Charlie Dimmock.

BTCV is Country Living’s Charity of the Year.

The independent judging panel commented: “When Liz joined BTCV she was scared to leave the house and now she’s planning to climb Ben Nevis. That is a phenomenal achievement.”

BTCV Chief Executive Tom Flood said: “BTCV Green Heroes are remarkable people. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of climate change, but Green Heroes demonstrate the difference individuals and groups can make.”

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Healthy BTCV recognises its Green Heroes

Monday, 12 October 2009

Inspirational people making a difference to their environment, locally & globally

Environmental charity BTCV has named its Green Heroes and health projects have swept the board.

BTCV (formerly the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers) is 50 years old this year and works with around 300,000 volunteers across the UK.

Its annual Green Hero Awards recognise people and groups who have made a special contribution to their local environment, often in the face of challenges and difficulties.

The awards highlight the diverse nature of BTCV and pay tribute to the people that help make BTCV the world’s most successful practical volunteering charity.

Bruce MacLennan was named BTCV Volunteer of the Year. Bruce is a member of Inverness Green Gym and was described by judges as the volunteer who had “achieved the most and come the furthest”.

Bruce has learning difficulties and combines his all weather, all year volunteering in the Scottish Highlands with attendance at a local day centre.

Volunteer Liz Howarth, who attends a Green Gym in Norwich, was awarded a Green Hero Better Life Award. Liz has battled depression, anxiety and family problems to become a regular member of her Green Gym.

The BTCV Green Gym® is a scheme which inspires you to improve both your health and the environment at the same time. Experienced leaders guide you through a range of practical projects, giving you the opportunity to tackle physical jobs in the outdoors – improving your strength and stamina, boosting your practical skills and confidence and benefitting your local green spaces. Liz says: “BTCV Green Gym is helping me change my life. My confidence and self worth have grown and continue to do so. My motivation has gone from very low to very high. This is one of the best things that has happened in my life.”

BTCV Chief Executive Tom Flood said: “BTCV Green Heroes are remarkable people. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of climate change, but Green Heroes demonstrate the difference individuals and groups can make.”

Young Volunteer of the Year Shawn Streeter, aged 14, from Southwater, West Sussex, is the youngest Health Walks leader in the UK and plays a pivotal role in his local BTCV group and improving the health of his local community.

Winners, including Shawn and his parents, will now be invited to a prestigious award ceremony at Country Living magazine’s Christmas Fair on November 11 in London where they will be presented with an award by celebrity gardener, Charlie Dimmock.

BTCV is Country Living’s charity of the year.

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BTCV recognises its International Green Heroes

Monday, 12 October 2009

Inspirational people making a difference to their environment, locally & globally

Environmental charity BTCV has named its Green Heroes and recognised the outstanding work of Iceland-based volunteer Chas Goemans.

BTCV (formerly the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers) is 50 years old this year and works with around 300,000 volunteers across the UK and abroad.

Its annual Green Hero Awards recognise people and groups who have made a special contribution to their local environment, often in the face of challenges and difficulties.

The awards highlight the diverse nature of BTCV. Among the winners was Chas Goemans who joined BTCV as a volunteer 21 years ago. Chas now works for the Icelandic Ministry of Environment where he manages volunteering in national parks.

Chas initially volunteered with BTCV in the UK and later became an International Leader on BTCV holidays. One year he led 10 international projects and on a particular trip he fell in love with Iceland.

He stayed in the country and developed BTCV conservation holidays there.

By exporting BTCV to Iceland, Chas has developed BTCV’s International Programme which now has a worldwide following.

Chas has ensured those on BTCV trips have the holiday of a lifetime. Furthermore he’s helped equip them with new skills, knowledge, standards and inspiration which they can take with them and build on in their respective countries, future volunteering or careers.

His contribution to environmental volunteering has been recognised by the Icelandic government who have now secured his employment and experience.

Chas has built a strong programme in Iceland which still operates successfully.

Volunteers are an important part of the practical management of Iceland's protected areas and each summer, volunteer groups work on projects throughout the country in Iceland's national parks and nature reserves.

Volunteer teams work closely with local staff on a variety of practical management tasks including trail building, wilderness management and heritage management projects. For more information about BTCV International Holiday visit www.btcv.org or call BTCV Customer Services on 01302 388 883.

Winners, including Chas, will now be invited to a prestigious award ceremony at Country Living magazine’s Christmas Fair on November 11 in London where they will be presented with an award by celebrity gardener, Charlie Dimmock. BTCV is Country Living’s charity of the year.

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BTCV recognises Green Hero partner organisations

Monday, 12 October 2009

Inspirational people making a difference to their environment, locally & globally

Environmental charity BTCV has hailed volunteers and partners from the across the UK as Green Heroes.

BTCV is 50 years old this year and works with around 300,000 volunteers across the UK. Its annual Green Hero Awards recognise people and groups who have made a special contribution to their local environment, often in the face of challenges and difficulties.

The awards highlight the diverse nature of BTCV and pay tribute to the people that help make BTCV the world’s most successful practical volunteering charity.

Among the BTCV partner organisations singled out for praise by independent panel of judges was Broxtowe Borough Council in Nottinghamshire.

BTCV and Broxtowe Borough Council has worked together for 25 years and in 2008-2009 BTCV delivered 59 projects days across seven council sites. The council recognises the value of volunteering and the partnership continues to flourish.

The Garden of Eden Allotment project in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, won BTCV Green Hero’s Project of the Year.

The project, run by CVNI (BTCV operates as CVNI in Northern Ireland) was set up in October 2008. It involves residents of sheltered accommodation and people involved with a drug and alcohol rehabilitation group in practical work to improve their mental health.

Volunteers have created an allotment and now produce fruit and vegetables. The project, which is supported by Carrickfergus Borough Council, has improved the physical abilities of those involved by providing a means of gentle exercise and fresh organic produce which volunteers take home.

BTCV Chief Executive Tom Flood said: “BTCV Green Heroes are remarkable people. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of climate change, but Green Heroes demonstrate the difference individuals and groups can make.”

Representatives from the groups will now be invited to a prestigious award ceremony at Country Living magazine’s Christmas Fair on November 11 in London where they will be presented with an award by celebrity gardener, Charlie Dimmock.

BTCV is Country Living’s charity of the year.

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SCHEME TO TAKE INCAPACITY CLAIMANTS OFF BENEFITS WORKS, SAYS YORKSHIRE EMPLOYER

Wednesday, 7 October 2009

AS the Conservative Party outlines its plans to move 400,000 incapacity claimants off benefits, a South Yorkshire business has endorsed a scheme which gets the long term sick back to work.

VeryPC, an award winning green IT manufacturer based in Sheffield, has found jobs for six long term unemployed people through a unique back to work programme delivered by leading environmental charity BTCV.

BTCV’s Work Preparation scheme is delivered in Sheffield and works with 500 people each year who are claiming incapacity benefits.

VeryPC’s Chief Executive, Peter Hopton said: “The great thing about BTCV’s Work Preparation scheme is that it takes so much of the guesswork out of recruitment.

“Over the course of a 30 day placement, not only does someone who has been on long term sick get a chance to assess whether they are really ready to start work again, but we, as an employer have a great chance to assess the skills and suitability of a prospective employee.

“When an employment opportunity does arise, we can draw on this fantastic resource to hire someone who we know will be highly suited to the job and is also sure that they personally want to work with VeryPC.

“It’s also very satisfying to know that we are involved in an important step on the way back to work for so many local people.” Environmental charity BTCV is a large scale national organisation that delivers a multitude of small scale local projects. Chief Executive Tom Flood CBE explained: “This year marks our 50th anniversary - five decades of inspiring people and improving places. In that time we have consistently supported people improving their local environment and achieving a more active, healthy and skilled society. “Our long term goal is to make a difference to the widest range of people in society. Our vision remains simple – to create a better environment where people are valued, included and involved.” In the next four years BTCV is aiming to actively support 1.5 million people in environmental action and move 50,000 people into employment. It plans to develop and build on programmes like the one delivered in Sheffield. Tom Flood added: “There is a reason why Third Sector delivery of public service contracts has rocketed over the past decade. It is because we are good at them. Every £1 invested by BTCV’s funders has a social value of around £4.

“Getting involved with BTCV is often the impetus towards a healthier, more environmentally friendly lifestyle.

“As volunteers and clients make a contribution and have it recognised their self respect increases and so does their motivation. The success stories at VeryPC are testimony to this.”

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BTCV reports reduction of Co2 emissions by 14.6%

Thursday, 1 October 2009

Innovative ideas including a staff EcoPledge have helped environment charity BTCV slash its overall carbon emissions.

BTCV has cut its overall Co2 emissions by 14.6% since 2006-2007.

The leading environmental volunteering charity began measuring its Co2 production in 2006, putting in place a number of measures to improve efficiency, conserve resources and reduce emissions.

Some of these measures have included incentives to travel wisely, a cycle to work scheme, an environmental champion in every office, selection of energy suppliers who use renewable fuels and an increase of staff training in environmental issues.

BTCV has also launched a popular EcoPledge scheme for staff encouraging individual commitments to a change in behaviour.

A review of BTCV’s owned fleet has led to an 8.9% improvement since the last report, based on less miles covered, less fuel used and less Co2 emitted. The charity also reports that it now sources 6% of its energy from a renewable supplier.

The findings mean that BTCV is well on its way to meeting the goals set out in the strategic plan launched in May 2009.

Nick Hall, Head of Safety and Environment at BTCV, says: “It’s often difficult for large organisations to know how they can make a difference, but what BTCV has done shows that small changes reap big rewards”

“This reduction is excellent news and down to the hard work of staff and volunteers who recognise the fundamental importance of reducing our carbon footprint. We will be concentrating our efforts to reduce that figure further over the coming months and years.”

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Council praised for strong environmental partnership

Thursday, 1 October 2009

A LOCAL authority has been honoured for its long-standing environmental partnership with volunteering charity BTCV. BTCV, the world’s leading practical environmental volunteering charity, has worked with Essex County Council for 23 years and has honoured the strong relationship at an awards ceremony this week. The council was awarded two BTCV Green Heroes Awards which recognise outstanding contributions to the environment made by volunteers, community groups and local partnerships. Essex County Council won Best Partnership and Best Project, in the East, London and South East categories for its Essex Tree Initiative, which launched last year. Almost 400,000 trees were planted throughout the year-long period and 21,574 of these were planted by 200 BTCV volunteers who gave their time to environmental projects.

Hosted by Essex County Council, the awards ceremony also celebrated 50 years of BTCV as well as the long standing partnership between the two organisations. In recognition of the strength of the partnership BTCV Chief Executive Tom Flood presented County Councillor Tracey Chapman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Waste, with the two regional awards and now they will then go on to the national judging. BTCV Chief Executive Tom Flood CBE said: “BTCV recognises the value in working with local authorities in order to engage local people in improving their environment. The innovative partnership between BTCV and Essex County Council can be held up as an example of best practice. We look forward to continuing to work with them in the coming years.”

County Councillor Tracey Chapman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Waste said: "The Essex Tree Initiative is one of our most successful environmental schemes to date and I am pleased that it has received the recognition it deserves, both with the BTCV awards and The Woodland Trust's recent Third Sector Excellence Award for best Public Sector Partnership. A big thank you also to Lord Hanningfield, whose vision and commitment brought the Initiative to life."

Robert Overall, Executive Director, Environment, Sustainability and Highways said: "I would like to congratulate the BTCV on such a successful awards evening. The Green Heroes Awards demonstrate what can be achieved when two organisations work in harmony and I am proud to call the BTCV our partner."

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Volunteering Gives Job Seekers the Edge as Six Chase Each Job

Tuesday, 29 September 2009

THERE has never been a better time to volunteer, according to figures released this week which show six jobseekers competing for each job.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal the desperate state of the employment market and how almost six unemployed people are competing for each vacancy.

The statistics, which compare with just two jobseekers for every position at the beginning of the decade, underline the importance of volunteering in self development.

BTCV, the world’s largest environmental volunteering charity, provides opportunities for job seekers to learn new skills, improve their health, improve their environment and strengthen their CV.

“Volunteering with BTCV is often the impetus towards a healthier, more environmentally friendly lifestyle and it undoubtedly gives jobseekers’ CV’s a boost,” explains BTCV’s Chief Executive Tom Flood.

“As volunteers make a contribution and have it recognised their self respect increases and so does their motivation.

“For people who have been out of work for a long time, or who have never had a job, these newly acquired skills can make all the difference. It also demonstrates to a potential employer that the volunteer is capable of holding down a job.”

Over the next four years BTCV aims to mobilise 1.5 million people into environmental action. BTCV also aims to move 50,000 people into employment using its enviable track record in supporting people through employment training and into work.

Ends

For more information and case studies or discuss news opportunities contact BTCV’s National Press Office on 01302 388 824.

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LOCAL SCHOOL CHILDREN TO BENEFIT FROM SCHOOL GARDEN MAKEOVER

Tuesday, 29 September 2009

School children at Ratho Primary School will benefit from school garden makeover thanks to employees from The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) and BTCV Scotland. The 50 strong team from RBS Gogarburn Head Office will be spend Wednesday 30th September with BTCV Scotland transforming the school’s grounds into a learning experience where children can grow food and tend plants. The ambitious team will create an interactive learning zone, new wildlife and sensory gardens, paint fences, install benches and plant hundreds of flowers - all in a day’s work! A grant of £2000 has been made available by RBS towards the costs of the materials. Liz Walshe, Headteacher says: “Enormous thanks to RBS and BTCV for helping to transform areas of our vast grounds. Their support will help us to further develop our outdoor environment so that it can be used more widely for teaching and learning purposes. The children will benefit enormously from the increased opportunities to learn outdoors and all the work will help to attract a wider variety of wildlife to our grounds.” Heath Brown, from BTCV Scotland, who designed the garden, explains: “This is an ambitious project and shows a fantastic commitment by RBS employees. The transformation will make a real difference to the childrens’ environmental education, health and wellbeing.” Many RBS employees already participate in local community initiatives and their partnership with BTCV encourages employees to make a positive impact on their local environment. BTCV is particularly keen to work with businesses to encourage employees to get involved in environmental initiatives in their local communities.

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BTCV’s Wellbeing Comes Naturally gets £250,000 to launch national flagship eco-p

Thursday, 10 September 2009

Today, BTCV’s Wellbeing Comes Naturally project has been selected as one of five flagship projects to receive a maximum grant of £250,000 from heavily oversubscribed grant scheme Ecominds. The monies, funded by the Big Lottery Fund, will encourage people with mental health problems to get involved in local conservation groups. Fighting off tough competition from a large number of applicants shortlisted for the flagship grant, the Wellbeing Comes Naturally project was chosen along with four other schemes. Now 450 people with mental health problems are set to join 28 conservation groups across England. Each group will involve volunteers in regular sessions of nature conservation with the aim of maximising physical and mental health benefits. Volunteers will be involved in projects which improve biodiversity and recreation and some may also be involved in growing fruit and vegetables. The quality of our environment affects quality of life and people with access to green space have both better physical and mental health than those who don’t. BTCV aims to encourage people to use the environment to improve their health. The grant is one of 120 to be allocated by Ecominds, a unique £7.5 million scheme delivered by the mental health charity Mind and funded by the Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme. Ecominds is helping thousands of people across the country to improve their mental wellbeing through ecotherapy - encouraging people to get outdoors and get active. Ecotherapy has been proven to be as effective as anti-depressants in treating depression.(1) In a recent Mind study after just one country walk, 90 per cent of participants had increased self-esteem and 71 per cent reported decreased feelings of depression. (2)

BTCV’s Wellbeing Comes Naturally project stood out from the other applications because it gave the best possible opportunities for people with mental health problems to work and recover while improving local environments for all.

Overjoyed at the announcement, Mick Denness, BTCV’s Head of Healthy and Sustainable Communities, said "The grant that we have received will be invaluable in helping to transform the lives of people across England who are experiencing mental distress. We can’t wait to get started and look forward to improving local environments across the country for everyone to enjoy."

Barry Watts, Grants Manager of Ecominds, said: “The huge number of applicants for the flagship grants made our decision very difficult, especially given the quality of the applying projects. What we liked about BTCV’s Wellbeing Comes Naturally was that we could see how it would directly benefit the future of people with mental health problems on a long-term basis, teaching skills and providing a vital support network. We are sure those involved will become an asset to local communities and I wish them the very best of luck!”

One in four people experience mental distress yet there still presides vast stigma about mental health problems. Social contact has been shown to be the most important factor in gaining better understanding. By improving local environments, Ecominds hopes to promote the inclusion of people with mental health problems into their communities, breaking down barriers and helping to combat mental health discrimination.

BTCV Cymru launches approach to tackling employment and training needs in Wales

Tuesday, 4 August 2009

Leading environmental charity hosts Ministerial launch of new Family Employment Initiative

The British Trust of Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) Cymru has today launched its Family Employment Initiative (FEI) at Bryn Bach Park, Tredegar. The event, designed as a new and innovative approach to tackling training and employment needs across Wales, featured a Ministerial speech from Leighton Andrews, Deputy Minister Social Justice & Regeneration.

Using a specialist engagement programme designed to create supported pathways for individuals and families in targeted areas, the FEI will provide participants with the opportunity to get involved in volunteering, community and group activity. This project will help them to increase confidence and obtain skills to help break down the barriers faced by families and individuals in areas of high worklessness.

BTCV Cymru is also intending to use the FEI and conservation activity as a vehicle to create further awareness of climate change issues across Wales and the UK. The project will provide volunteering opportunities designed to encourage participants to engage and re-engage to build their confidence and provide them with the practical and mental skills required to help them to take the next step, raising the aspirations of both themselves and their communities.

Deputy Minister Social Justice & Regeneration, Leighton Andrews comments: “This scheme builds on the successful Objective 1 BTCV project, Skills for a Sustainable Wales, which helped 350 people gain new skills through a programme of training, work experience and guidance. By undertaking initiatives to enhance the local environment, the FEI programme will positively affect over 3,000 people.”

The launch of the FEI represents one of many initiatives being rolled out by the BTCV during its 50th anniversary year. Since 1959, the organisation has grown in to a 'carbon army', numbering in the tens of thousands, with conservation projects across the UK and beyond, and celebrity patrons ranging from HRH The Duke of Edinburgh to TV's Charlie Dimmock.

Tom Flood, CBE, Chief Executive, BTCV comments: “The FEI is a positive response to recent worrying employment trends. Our research proves the positive benefit volunteering has for individuals, communities and the wider environment. Our aim is that with our partners at the Welsh Assembly and Coalfields Regeneration Trust, this initiative will give those affected by long term unemployment in Wales a renewed purpose and a positive outlet for their energies.” Ioan Jenkins, BTCV Wales Director, comments: “Volunteering has a unique way of bringing communities together, and the FEI is no different except in that it also designed to drive awareness of environmental and climate change issues in Wales. There has been a well-documented rise in the number of unemployed people, particularly in the younger generation. The FEI will enable the volunteers to discuss their stories and help others make positive steps towards employment and improving their lives.”

The programme FEI will run to March 2012 and will operate initially in Ebbw Fach, Tredegar, Rhymney, Merthyr, Aberfan, Rhondda Fawr and Bridgend following three successful pilots in Penderry, Rhymney/Pontlottyn and Ebbw Fach. BTCV Cymru would like to further develop the programme across Wales focusing on areas of high unemployment.

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BTCV seeks non-executive board members

Friday, 24 July 2009

BTCV, the leading environmental volunteering charity, is offering the chance for two strategically minded individuals to become non-executive board members.

BTCV is a major force for transforming people’s lives and improving places and communities through environmental volunteering and skills and training. BTCV believes in a better environment where people are valued, included and involved.

In its 50th year, BTCV has set out ambitious plans. It is investing in four core areas of measurable impact: improving the environment, active environmental citizenship, improving physical and mental health, and increasing employability, skills and training. The organisation will also support 1.5 million people in environmental action across the UK, reconnecting people and nature.

Sue Hilder, BTCV’s retiring Vice Chair, said “We are looking for candidates from the academic, private, public or third sectors with relevant public connections. Whether applicants are from a practical, managerial or public policy background, the aim is that they will demonstrate environmental experience and understanding, together with the ability to apply that knowledge strategically. Additional relevant experience in marketing/PR, HR, health and/or social enterprise will also be valued.”

“As a seasoned trustee, I can thoroughly recommend serving on BTCV’s Board. It offers an exciting, challenging and fulfilling experience for anyone with a strategic grasp of the social and political context in which BTCV operates and a conviction of the benefits of environmental volunteering. More information about this exceptional opportunity is available from our website at www.btcv.org, under ‘Job vacancies’.”

Click the Read More link to find out how to apply

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BTCV volunteers recreate beauty of the north in garden for RHS Tatton

Monday, 6 July 2009

Green-fingered volunteers have squeezed all the beauty of Northern England into a few square metres for BTCV’s RHS Tatton Show garden.

The idea behind the garden is to enthuse people about their environment, bringing them closer to wildlife, food growing and the huge variety of practical skills available through environmental volunteering charity BTCV, which is now the world’s largest team of green volunteers. Structures within the garden represent aspects of BTCV’s work and volunteer involvement including a tool store, a boardwalk/dipping platform like those commonly built in schools gardens, raised vegetable beds for wheelchair access and a drystone wall - a favourite of many volunteers. There will also be a working ‘bodger’, demonstrating traditional furniture making skills using a pole-lathe, to show the type of BTCV courses available to everyone.

Volunteer groups from across the region have worked on this garden by growing the plants, designing and building the structure and of course, helping to put it all together for the prestigious RHS show. Carrie Poskitt of BTCV says, “This garden would not have been possible without the all the hard work put in by the volunteers. I think the elements of the garden work well together and really show off the beauty of our region and the wide range of opportunities available through BTCV. ”

The Northern region of BTCV in England spans Northumberland, Tyne and Wear , County Durham, Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire. It encompasses a wide variety of landscapes and offers opportunities to undertake many different types of conservation work throughout the year.

The garden will be on display to RHS members 22 July and to the public from 23 through to 26 July . To volunteer or train with BTCV in the North, contact: 01772 204647 or visit: www.btcv.org

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Lincolnshire GP practice becomes first ever holder of a BTCV Green Gym licence

Thursday, 2 July 2009

When Rosemary Blakesley saw a news item on BBC Breakfast featuring BTCV Green Gym, a scheme which inspires you to improve both your health and the environment at the same time, she thought, ‘What a brilliant idea!’ Almost immediately she contacted BTCV, the UK’s leading environmental volunteering charity, about setting up a Green Gym in her community. After a year of intense planning and with a licence held by local health centre, Hereward Group Practice, the Bourne Green Gym is now in action. It is helping people in the town to improve their fitness and well-being and at the same time sorting out some neglected corners of local parks, improving access in the woods and hopefully starting work on a school outdoor classroom in the near future.

Rosemary, who was previously a garden and landscape designer, was fortunate in that Hereward Group Practice was supportive of the idea from the beginning and assisted her in a bid to the Lincolnshire PCT Rapid Improvement Fund, which they succeeded in securing.

“It’s important to provide patients who need to increase their exercise with a range of options.”, says Robert Brown, Practice Manager, “Whilst some may be interested in gym classes or walking, others will be attracted to the idea of gardening and other types of physical work outdoors. The Green Gym is a valuable addition to the options we provide and the work they do makes a significant contribution to the community.” The practice continues its support by providing Rosemary with office space and tool storage, advertising Green Gym in the waiting areas and encouraging GPs to refer patients.

Dr Ian Wheatley, who supports the scheme, says “I think the Green Gym is an excellent idea. Any initiative that improves the physical and psychological health of our patients is very welcome, especially in the context of increasing levels of obesity. Unlike traditional exercise regimes the Green Gym provides social and environmental benefits as well.”

BTCV has received a huge amount of interest from people wanting to set up their own Green Gyms. In response, they have developed a licence arrangement whereby organisations can establish new schemes according to BTCV’s quality standards. BTCV enables them to do this by providing a package of training, evaluation advice and support.

In Bourne, BTCV has supported Rosemary through every stage of development, including explaining the how the Green Gym Licence works and how best to gain the support of a local health authority or health centre. “The support I’ve received from BTCV has been excellent. They make the administration side of my job easy by enabling me to submit project reports online. I know that they are on the end of the phone if I need any advice and they provide training so I can keep improving the Green Gym offer here. I might be the only member of staff in Bourne Green Gym but I certainly don’t feel alone.”

At a typical Green Gym session, experienced leaders guide you through a range of practical projects, giving you the opportunity to tackle physical jobs in the outdoors – improving your strength and stamina, boosting your practical skills and confidence and benefitting your local green spaces. In Bourne, with two large parks and expansive local woodland, the team of volunteers have plenty to keep them occupied and is steadily becoming an asset to the town.

Adrian Smith is Project Manager for Bourne United Charities, who are trustees for the town’s two main parks. “We employ two groundskeepers to look after over 40 acres, and much of their time is spent looking after the lawns and litter-picking. To have the Green Gym team at our disposal means that some of the forgotten corners of the parks can be reinvigorated and improved for the townspeople. It’s a very positive relationship.”

Yvonne Hunt, BTCV Health Development Manager says, “BTCV is delighted that the Hereward GP practice is the first practice to take on a Green Gym licence. It shows how far GP practices have come in terms of promoting physical activity and mental health, and going beyond treatment. We hope that many more GP practices will follow their example.”

For more information on BTCV Green Gym and Green Gym Licensing, contact: Yvonne Hunt, Tel: 01403 730572, Y.Hunt@btcv.org.uk, Southwater Country Park, Cripplegate Lane, Southwater, West Sussex, RH13 9UN

For more information on Bourne Green Gym, contact Rosemary Blakesley, Project Manager, 01778 393399, Rosemary.Blakesley@LPCT.nhs.uk

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BTCV calls for stability of funding for diversity projects

Wednesday, 1 July 2009

Stability of funding is often more important than scale when supporting work with "hard to reach" communities, says environmental charity BTCV.

The claim comes as BTCV publishes Branch Out - a review of a social inclusion project which has been running in Leeds over the last year. The report examines work that BTCV, with a series of partner organisations, has carried out with refugees, asylum seekers and people from local disadvantaged communities, building social cohesion through simple activities such as growing and harvesting food, and looking after gardens and green space.

The project received one-year funding from the Equality and Human Rights Commission through their interim grants programme, but is now looking for continuing, longer term support. Kay Hampton, former EHRC Commissioner and BTCV Ambassador, said; “The project has been very effective, and has demonstrated good value for money. But work of this kind needs longer term underpinning support from government. Building trust within communities is a long term process, and continuity of funding is crucial.”

Tom Flood, BTCV's Chief Executive, said “The Branch Out project shows how forward-looking third sector organisations can work with government to create valuable and practical solutions. I would welcome a discussion about common learning points, and how the scheme may offer pointers to truly effective strategic partnerships between the third sector and government.”

Read the full Branch Out report

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Celebrating Good for Nothings in North London

Wednesday, 24 June 2009

Young volunteers from across north London are being invited to an exciting event to celebrate the positive contributions of young people who have proved that they really can be ‘good for nothing’.

Supported by V, the national youth volunteering charity and BTCV, vinvolved north London works to promote and support youth volunteering for 16 to 25 year olds in Barnet, Haringey, Enfield and Waltham Forest.

The North London vinvolved team is saying thank you to young people who have given their time and commitment to a huge range of charities and local organisations helping to make a real difference to their community.

In order to do this vinvolved North London will be running a celebration event in recognition of the positive contribution these young volunteers have made.

The Good for Nothing Celebration Event will be held at the Camden Centre on Sunday 28th June 2009 for over 100 young volunteers from Barnet, Enfield, Haringey and Waltham Forest.

We are also being supported by: • Southgate College (catering) • Youth Entertainment Sound System (YESS) (entertainment) • The North London Youth Action Team U2V and other young people (logistical support)

Katie McGlade, Youth Volunteer Advisor for vinvolved North London says, “These young people have given their valuable time to make positive contributions to the community and we want to reward their efforts with a day where they can have fun and meet other young people.”

Members of U2V (You to volunteer) the Youth Action Team for vinvolved North London are currently planning a recruitment fair for young volunteers which will take place on 22nd August 2009 at Bruce Castle Park. Two of their members, Erina and Lovetta say: “We all enjoy meeting up weekly to watch our project grow and evolve. But most of all we just have lots of fun!”

Elaine Harman, Team Leader for Haringey Connexions Drop-in Services says, “vinvolved offers a wide range of opportunities that enable young people to acquire new skills and gain that all important experience needed for today's job market.”

Leonie de Boton, Development Manager with Age Concern’s Intergen project that aims to bring older and younger members of the community together, says “The young volunteers we have (at Age Concern Enfield) bring enthusiasm, dedication and fun to the project and given all the school pressures they face, the fact that they regularly commit to volunteering is an inspiration to others. They are all fantastic role models for their peers.”

For more information on vinvolved North London visit www.btcv.org/vinvolved or contact Katie McGlade at BTCV vinvolved North London, 80 York Way, London, N1 9AG Tel: 0207 278 4294 Email: vinvolved-north-london@btcv.org.uk, k.mcglade@btcv.org.uk

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Government Minister drops in for lunch

Friday, 19 June 2009

Jonathan Shaw, Minister for the South East, visited The Singleton Environment Centre in Ashford, run by BTCV, for lunch on Wednesday 17th June as part of a tour of developments in the town. Ashford is one of the four key growth areas in the South East, alongside the Thames Gateway, Milton Keynes and Stansted/M11 corridor.

Having been given a tour of key town centre developments, the Minister called in on The Singleton Environment Centre for lunch where he was greeted by BTCV ELSE Operations Director Kate MacKenzie and BTCV Centre Manager Daniel Jones.

Mr Shaw was interested to hear about the partnership between BTCV and Ashford Borough Council in running the centre, the ecological design and operation of the centre and the wide range of business and community events being held there. Representatives from Ashford Borough Council and Ashford’s Future (Ashford's Future is a partnership between the local council, government agencies and others from the public and private sector to support the delivery of housing and economic growth in Ashford) joined Mr Shaw in enjoying a Kentish lunch freshly prepared from local produce by the centre’s Footprints restaurant.

BTCV Centre Manager Daniel Jones said: “We were delighted that Mr Shaw could visit the centre and enjoy lunch with us during his visit to Ashford. He was particularly interested in the concept of the centre and the innovative partnership between BTCV as a charity and ABC as a local authority in working together to operate the centre.”

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Charity Award recognises 50 years of volunteering

Friday, 12 June 2009

BTCV, the UK’s leading green volunteering charity, has won a 2009 Charity Award in acknowledgement of its achievements over 50 years.

The Charity Awards recognise excellence in the voluntary sector. BTCV’s award, in the Animals and environment category, marks its dedication to conservation volunteering over five decades.

BTCV is now the world’s largest team of green volunteers, operating throughout the UK and in 26 countries. It makes a significant impact on the UK and International environment by inspiring 300,000 people to look after more than 50,000 places.

BTCV Chief Executive Tom Flood said: “What BTCV does for people and the environment has evolved significantly over our 50 year history. We have developed projects that have a positive impact on how people think, feel and behave towards their environment and their community. We have led the way in bringing together environmental, social and economic aims, transforming them into practical activity. Financially, research shows that £1 invested in our work can yield a measurable social return on investment of around £4 – sometimes more.

“This award recognises the work and achievements of all our volunteers, their communities, and the partner organisations we have worked with since 1959. It rewards their dedication to BTCV and the environment. We all owe each and every volunteer a big thank you.”

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BTCV Celebrates 50th Anniversary at The Lost Gardens of Heligan

Friday, 5 June 2009

On Friday 5 June (World Environment Day) green volunteering charity BTCV celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a special event at The Lost Gardens of Heligan near Mevagissy in Cornwall. Over one hundred volunteers and staff from across Cornwall and Devon attended the event, which was also part of BTCV’s annual ‘Spring into Action’ campaign to encourage people to try environmental volunteering. Garden visitors were invited to join BTCV volunteers in a variety of exciting creative workshops, celebrating the achievements, and demonstrating the role of the BTCV over the last 50 years.

The focus of the hands-on workshops, was to get people involved, perfectly displaying the ethos of BTCV. With Bat and Bird Box Making, Willow Weaving and Green Woodwork workshops on offer there was something for everyone to enjoy.

Throughout the day a Willow Family sculpture was created to communicate the BTCV message, which promotes the vital connections between nature and people. This will remain at Heligan as a commemoration of the great involvement BTCV had during the early restoration of the gardens in 1991 and 1992. One of Heligan’s founders Tim Smit is very excited to see the BTCV back in the gardens once more.

“I am a huge fan of BTCV as you can imagine. What was to become The Lost Gardens of Heligan was nothing more than a complete wilderness until a team from BTCV led by the excellent Mr George Crumpler arrived with a wonderful motley crew to start the big clearance. Quite simply without BTCV volunteers there would have been no Lost Gardens and The Nation’s Favourite Garden (as voted by viewers of Gardeners World) would have remained silent, undiscovered and would have robbed millions of the pleasure that it has given them.”

When the Council for Nature first set up the charity in 1959, Brigadier Armstrong headed the organisation, which since its inception has grown in strength whilst maintaining a flexible attitude to the changing natural and social environments in which it works. The scale and aims of BTCV have expanded, yet remain closely connected to the charity’s original vision which today highlights the importance of working towards creating a better environment where people are valued, included and involved. This focus was demonstrated during the time the BTCV spent restoring The Lost Gardens and Tim Smit is full of admiration for their work.

“The professionalism and enthusiasm of this volunteer crew is legendary and, as BTCV reaches its 50th year it should be deeply proud. It has changed landscapes, it has provided respite for broken hearts and frustrated souls, it has provided purpose to the aimless and a darned good time to those who simply wanted to ‘get down and dirty’ doing something practical in a new environment. Most importantly, the BTCV has played a huge part in the lives of many people teaching the simple truth of our connection to and dependence on the environment - a message whose truth and urgency has never been more needed than now. So...as we celebrate 50 years we should lift a glass to all those people whose comradeship and good heart have transformed so many places and lives for the better. Congratulations and may you go from strength to strength - we salute you.”

Find out more about BTCV activities and events in Cornwall at: www.btcv.org T: 01209 610610

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Community food group pioneer receives recognition from Mayor of London

Thursday, 4 June 2009

A BTCV volunteer who pioneered food growing in his community was presented with a recognition award by Mayor Boris Johnson at the opening of a volunteer celebration event held at London's City Hall yesterday.

George James’ group, Food Awareness and Food Growing, based in Lambeth, won a national BTCV Green Heroes award for Community Group of the Year in 2008 for their highly successful and creative Food Growing programme, where several locations in the community became abundant in home grown fruit and vegetables, including shared allotments and people’s own back gardens. The group also help seminars on healthy eating, communal cooking and food sharing, involving people in the Lambeth area.

Boris Johnson, said: 'Many congratulations to green fingered George for his sterling work to promote locally grown fruit and veg in London. This award is clearly well deserved for his exceptional contribution in this field.'

Richard Ribgy, BTCV: "It is fantastic that the work of George’s group is being recognised by the Mayor. Their project is a fantastic example of how communities can get together to make a real impact on the environment and their health by simply growing their own food."

Earlier this week, Neale Coleman, Olympics Advisor to the the Mayor, joined a BTCV team of volunteers to transform a neglected greenspace next to a school into an outdoor classroom. The Mayor wanted his employees to lead by example and volunteer on a variety of projects in London as he launched a new website to help Londoners find ways to lend a hand in their community.

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Mayor’s Olympics Advisor volunteers to bring outdoor classroom to life

Monday, 1 June 2009

Children from All Saint’s Primary School in Barnet will enjoy a revived nature area and woodland thanks to environmental volunteering charity BTCV and with help from Neale Coleman, Olympics Advisor to the Mayor of London, who is joining in tomorrow as part of Volunteer Week.

Neale will join BTCV tomorrow in the last stages of the project which they have been working on for the last two weeks.

Before work on the school garden began, a woodland and natural pond adjacent to the school, though on school grounds, was unsuitable for children to use. The school received funding from RBS Supergrounds Awards for Primary Schools Programme to transform the site. The project saw the children help with the creation of an outdoor classroom with wheelchair accessible paths and a dipping platform so they can discover pond life safely.

Neale says, “I’m pleased to be able to work alongside BTCV to make these grounds a more educational and exciting place to be. Encouraging children to learn outdoors benefits their physical well-being and their understanding of our environment. It is great to be involved with volunteer week; there is such a diverse range of volunteering opportunities available, so there will be something to suit everyone.”

Richard Jedrzejczak from BTCV says, “This project has brought together volunteers from all over London and it’s great that the GLA are showing they support volunteering by sending a senior member of staff to join in and do the practical work with us.”

Mayor Boris Johnson has been encouraging his staff to lead by example and get involved in volunteer projects all over the city. The Mayor will be opening the Greater London Authority Volunteering Fair at City Hall on 4 June.

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‘Spring into Action’ with BTCV in Glasgow...

Wednesday, 27 May 2009

...and help create a wildflower meadow and learn a new skill

Get a taste of environmental volunteering and learn a new skill in Glasgow with BTCV during their ‘Spring into Action’ campaign 2009. The UK’s leading green volunteering charity will be creating a wildflower meadow at Provan Hall, Auchinlea Park in Easterhouse on Saturday 30 May (10am – 4pm).

BTCV’s volunteering projects are a chance to get active, improve your fitness and wellbeing, and improve your local environment. They offer free sessions of practical conservation activity, offering a chance to 'work-out' in the great outdoors (without a rowing machine in sight) and learn traditional skills with an experienced leader.

The open day at Provan Hall will feature traditional crafts inspired by the natural world. There will be a range of activities for all ages including wood-turning, willow weaving, guided walks, face painting and wildlife identification. Provan Hall is regarded as the best-preserved medieval fortified country house in Scotland. To ensure future wildlife prospers at the site, BTCV volunteers will also be creating a wildflower meadow.

BTCV’s fourth annual ‘Spring into Action’ campaign will run until 7 June 2009, encouraging thousands of people across the UK to experience the benefits of environmental conservation.

Last year’s campaign saw over 20,000 volunteers of all ages together give more than 27,000 days of their time to improve their environments at 770 locations across the UK. From clearing urban spaces to creating wildlife habitats, volunteers made a big difference to their local surroundings.

Throughout the year BTCV supports 300,000 green volunteers taking hands-on action to improve their urban and rural surroundings. The charity’s slogan -‘Inspiring people, improving places’ - reflects its aim to create better local environments where people from all cultures feel valued, included and involved.

Sir David Attenborough, a vice president of the charity, says, "Volunteering with BTCV brings together people from all walks of life and gives them a common purpose – to learn about, to understand and become part of the natural world. They volunteer not just because they want to bring about change to their local environment, but because it’s fun – it gets you outdoors, it makes you fit and you’re learning something new all the time. BTCV is working hard to make that happen.”

This year BTCV celebrates its 50th anniversary of ‘Inspiring people and improving places.’ BTCV was founded in 1959 as The Conservation Corps by the Council for Nature – an umbrella body of natural history organisations that included the RSPB and World Wildlife Fund.

To attend the event in Glasgow, or to find out more about other opportunities in your area to volunteer with BTCV, contact:

Jo Ridley (Project Officer) BTCV Scotland Tel: 0141 9566816 Mob: 07764655678 . Email: j.ridley@btcv.org.uk

Spring into Action 2009 is supported by Prudential plc and the Cabinet Office.

You can find details of other events happening near you by visiting www.btcv.org/springintoaction or calling the BTCV information line on 01302 388 883.

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‘Spring into Action’ in Leeds with BTCV

Tuesday, 26 May 2009

Get a taste of environmental volunteering in Leeds with BTCV during their Spring into Action campaign 2009. The UK’s leading green volunteering charity will be holding a Spring into Action day on Sunday 31st May (2-6pm) at Hollybush Conservation Centre, Broad Lane, Kirkstall, Leeds, LS5 3BP.

There will be workshops on BTCV volunteering activities like dry stone walling, making ‘minibeast’ homes and learning about permaculture. There will also be demonstrations from other local groups including on wood turning, mushroom growing and bee keeping.

Environmental family fun will be on offer with wildlife trails around the gardens, and craft activities like windsock making. Leeds University Circus Society will be encouraging people to learn circus skills to a musical accompaniment.

Entry is free and no experience is required, as full training and supervision will be given. There will be stalls and demonstrations of all the opportunities available at the Hollybush and BTCV Skelton Grange centres in Leeds.

BTCV’s fourth annual ‘Spring into Action’ campaign runs until 7 June 2009, encouraging thousands of people across the UK to experience the benefits of environmental conservation.

Last year’s campaign saw over 20,000 volunteers of all ages together give more than 27,000 days of their time to improve their environments at 770 locations across the UK. From clearing urban spaces to creating wildlife habitats, volunteers made a big difference to their local surroundings.

Throughout the year BTCV supports 300,000 green volunteers taking hands-on action to improve their urban and rural surroundings. The charity’s slogan -‘Inspiring people, improving places’ - reflects its aim to create better local environments where people from all cultures feel valued, included and involved.

Sir David Attenborough, a vice president of the charity, says, "Volunteering with BTCV brings together people from all walks of life and gives them a common purpose – to learn about, to understand and become part of the natural world. They volunteer not just because they want to bring about change to their local environment, but because it’s fun – it gets you outdoors, it makes you fit and you’re learning something new all the time. BTCV is working hard to make that happen.”

This year BTCV celebrates its 50th anniversary of ‘Inspiring people and improving places.’ BTCV was founded in 1959 as The Conservation Corps by the Council for Nature – an umbrella body of natural history organisations that included the RSPB and World Wildlife Fund.

The BTCV Leeds Spring into Action Open Day will take place on Sunday 31st May (2-6pm) at Hollybush Conservation Centre, Broad Lane, Kirkstall, Leeds, LS5 3BP. To attend the event in Leeds, or to find out more about other opportunities in your area to volunteer with BTCV, contact:

Jenny Twaddell: 0113 274 2335 or
J.Twaddell@btcv.org.uk.

You can find details of other events happening near you by visiting www.btcv.org/springintoaction or calling the BTCV information line on 01302 388 883.

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Every Action Counts and Hilary Benn celebrate 3 years of environmental successes

Saturday, 9 May 2009

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn today joined the celebration of the successful Every Action Counts programme (EAC), a Defra initiative that has run over the past three years that has inspired thousands of people in local communities and voluntary organisations across England and Wales to take action to help the environment. The EAC programme has given £4.3m to more than 2,000 community organisations and has trained 800 community champions through the programme to introduce community groups, clubs and organisations to easy environmental actions that they can take to develop an environmental action plan. Today marked the culmination of three years success at a celebration event at the Coin Street Neighborhood Centre. Environment Secretary Hilary Benn along with Every Action Counts, Capacity Global, Defra and representatives from 29 partner organizations, gathered to share their successes over the past three years. Mark Walton, Head of Every Action Counts (EAC), said:

“Action on climate change requires commitment, innovation, dedication and collective action. The third sector is therefore well placed to provide leadership within our respective sectors and communities. We are very impressed with the strides that local communities and voluntary organisations have made in the past three years as part of the EAC program. We are proud of everyone who has taken part and feel confident that we will be leaving behind a legacy that will serve as role model for other communities wishing to do their bit to support pro-environmental behaviour change and environmental sustainability.”

Tim Smit, Founder and CEO of the Eden Project, one of the UK's top gardens and conservation tourist attractions in Cornwall also spoke at the event and urged attendees to challenge themselves to be better. He said “It is our role to set the fundraising agenda as opposed to feeling immediately grateful for Government funds.”

He continued, “We are part of the problem. We need to raise the bar and get collectively angry as the changes we face need us to act collaboratively. We should be seeking best practice globally, not simply confining ourselves to the UK. It is imperative that we show our communities what great looks like because it is the people that are our greatest assets.”

At the event, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn delivered a key note speech, highlighting the new Greener Living Fund, which has just completed its second round of applications and for which grants will be announced in the summer.

The work with the third sector will be continued through the new £6m Greener Living Fund, which will help support groups live sustainably by encouraging people to reduce their carbon footprint and pressure on natural resources.

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said: “The progress that this programme has shown is really inspirational. We have to make sure we look after the environment that we live in and make the most of our natural resources and Every Action Counts has helped communities across England and Wales do their bit. I would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard to make Every Action Counts a success and look forward to working with community groups through the Greener Living Fund

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Help protect the river and wildlife in Salisbury City Centre

Tuesday, 5 May 2009

Environment charity BTCV is asking local people for help in restoring a section of the River Avon right in the heart of Salisbury’s City Centre.

The Avon River Project is free to attend and promises lots of fun, exercise and fresh air, with the chance to learn what everyone can do to conserve the river and its wildlife. Helping to restore a 500m section of the river bank next to the Maltings Car Park, the project runs from 10am to 3pm on 7, 8, 11, 12, 13 and 14 May as well as 11, 12, 18 and 25 June.

For those new to practical environmental conservation work, the project is a special opportunity to try doing something green as part of ‘Spring into Action’, a month-long nationwide campaign of ‘taster events’ run by leading environmental conservation charity BTCV in May. No previous experience is required and you can take part for as little or as long a time as you like. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided. Bring a packed lunch if you intend to stay all day.

The Avon River Project is run by BTCV in partnership with Natural England and the Living River project.

To find out more about how to join in, contact Lisa Bailey at BTCV in Salisbury – T: 01722 417601 E: Salisbury@btcv.org.uk or visit www.btcv.org

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Spring into Action with Charlie Dimmock at Margam Park

Tuesday, 5 May 2009

PHOTOCALL Spring into Action with Charlie Dimmock at Margam Park Saturday 9 May, 12-2pm. To attend the photocall, arrange an interview with Charlie Dimmock on the day, or find out more about Spring into Action, contact Sarah Arnott, BTCV Cymru. Telephone: 029 2052 4276. Email: s.arnott@btcv.org.uk.

Join celebrity TV gardener Charlie Dimmock at Wales’s largest-ever conservation task, with hundreds of green volunteers expected to help Charlie restore a Victorian water feature.

Organised by BTCV Cymru, Spring into Action at Margam Park will run 10am - 4pm on 9 May.

The event is part of BTCV’s Spring into Action campaign, which runs from 1 May to 7 June and features hundreds of free eco-activities across the UK. The campaign is backed by celebrities including Charlie Dimmock and Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins, and is supported by Prudential plc and the Cabinet Office.

People of all ages are invited, entry is free, and no experience is necessary for the range of activities on offer, as full training and supervision will be given. Charlie will join in the fun from around 12 noon to 2pm, helping volunteers to restore a Victorian water feature.

In addition, there will be plenty of other activities to take part in, including:

• Building a bird or bug box to take away for your garden • A foraging walk to discover nature’s supply of free food & drink • Learning to be a wood turner • Demonstrations about local wildlife and green spaces, and how volunteers can help look after them.

BTCV, a registered charity, is now the world’s largest team of green volunteers. It makes a significant impact on the UK and International environment by inspiring 300,000 people to look after more than 50,000 places.

Sir David Attenborough, a vice president of BTCV, says, "Volunteering with BTCV brings together people from all walks of life and gives them a common purpose – it gets you outdoors, it makes you fit and you’re learning something new all the time.”

Last year’s ‘Spring into Action’ campaign saw over 20,000 volunteers of all ages together give more than 27,000 days of their time to improve their environments at 770 locations across the UK. From clearing urban spaces to creating wildlife habitats, volunteers made a big difference to their local surroundings.

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‘Spring into Action’ in Bath with BTCV

Tuesday, 5 May 2009

50 years of ‘Inspiring people, improving places’.

Get a taste of environmental volunteering with BTCV during their Spring into Action campaign 2009. The UK’s leading green volunteering charity will be holding a 50th Birthday event at St Stephen’s Church in Lansdowne on Saturday 2nd May (10am-3pm).

The event takes place in the grounds of St Stephen’s Church on the site of a recently completed BTCV project. The site used to be derelict waste ground, littered with needles and a focus of anti-social behaviour. It has been transformed into a pleasant communal area with wooden seating, used by local school-groups and the local community.

There will be bat- and bird-box making, gardening activities and some basic carpentry tasks. No experience is required as full training will be given. All ages are welcome and there will be a BBQ lunch for participating volunteers.

BTCV’s fourth annual ‘Spring into Action’ campaign will run from 1 May- 7 June 2009, encouraging thousands of people across the UK to experience the benefits of environmental conservation.

Last year’s campaign saw over 20,000 volunteers of all ages together give more than 27,000 days of their time to improve their environments at 770 locations across the UK. From clearing urban spaces to creating wildlife habitats, volunteers made a big difference to their local surroundings.

This year BTCV celebrates its 50th anniversary of ‘Inspiring people and improving places.’ BTCV was founded in 1959 as The Conservation Corps by the Council for Nature – an umbrella body of natural history organisations that included the RSPB and World Wildlife Fund.

To attend the event in Bath, or to find out more about other opportunities in your area to volunteer with BTCV, please contact Alex Forster, BTCV Community Projects Officer on: 07739 447995 / A.Forster@btcv.org.uk .

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Oak Rise Learning Disability Unit garden given new lease of life

Tuesday, 14 April 2009

PEOPLE with learning problems in York are enjoying a garden which has been given a new lease of life – thanks to the work of a team of dedicated volunteers.

Youngsters gave up a chunk of their half-term break to help staff transform the patient garden area at the Oak Rise Learning Disability Unit following the securing of a £2,000 grant from York Community Pride’s Community Foundation.

The makeover team, who were all part of the Youth ACE volunteering project run by national conservation charity BTCV, swung into action after a successful application for the necessary funding was made by Oak Rise’s unit manager Julie Nutbrown and staff nurse Laura Ramsey.

“Before, there was nowhere pleasant to sit or enjoy the outside area, but now we have an environmentally-friendly little sanctuary for our service users, their families and friends to use throughout their stay at Oak Rise,” said Julie.

“We’re so very grateful to all the young people from the volunteer team who gave up their time and who will be back over the Easter weekend to add the finishing touches.”

Jan Norton, grants manager at the Community Foundation, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the transformation which has taken place in the garden area at Oak Rise.

“When Laura made the application, she said she wanted to create a sensory garden and provide an area where patients can spend time with relatives. When I learned BTCV were carrying out the work with their volunteer group, I knew they would make a fantastic job of it.”

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BTCV WILL HELP 50,000 FIND WORK

Wednesday, 1 April 2009

AND IMPROVE HEALTH OF HALF A MILLION PEOPLE, SAYS CHIEF EXECUTIVE.

BTCV’s chief executive Tom Flood says the UK’s leading green volunteering charity has set itself bold targets to help tackle some of the major problems facing society. On the eve of launching BTCV’s Strategic Plan (2009-2013), at a House of Commons reception on 1 April, he said:

“This year marks our 50th anniversary - five decades of inspiring people and improving places. In that time we have consistently supported people improving their local environment and achieving a more active, healthy and skilled society - with tangible economic benefits [1].

“As well as improving our common environment, volunteering with BTCV helps increase resilience to the challenges of modern society, like anxiety and depression, by improving fitness and mental health [2]. It also helps a broad range of people develop new skills to improve their life chances, including the long term unemployed and most vulnerable in society.

“Our new targets reflect our continuing long term goal to make a difference to the widest range of people in society. Our vision remains simple – to create a better environment where people are valued, included and involved.”

In the next four years BTCV is aiming to: • Improve the environment in 75,000 places • Provide opportunities for 500,000 people to become fitter and improve their mental health • Actively support 1.5 million people in environmental action • Move 50,000 people into employment.

Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, will be speaking at the launch of BTCV’s Strategic Plan. He says, “Volunteering to look after our natural environment is great not just for our physical and mental health, but also for the health of our communities and our economy. I want to congratulate BCTV on 50 years of inspiring work and for this ambitious new plan which promises even greater achievements in the years to come.”

Practically and locally grounded, BTCV has built great authority on a UK- wide scale by engaging with people from the broadest range of backgrounds, abilities, cultures and needs, including the most deprived and neglected communities.

Tom Flood says, “In an increasingly interdependent world, our society faces huge challenges: climate change, social cohesion, inequality and unemployment. “We will touch the lives of 1.5 million individuals over the next four years. Our aim is to transform the outcomes available to them, their communities and society as a whole. For BTCV, this is our investment case and our passion.”

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Lambeth children create Greener Gardening Showpiece

Thursday, 26 March 2009

Youngsters from Lambeth primary schools who have turned their hand to wildlife gardening may find the fruits of their labours at the heart of one of the Royal Horticultural Society’s shows.

BTCV, the UK’s leading environmental volunteering charity, is creating the show garden at the RHS Greener Gardening Show in London, 31 March - - 1 April and is basing the design around a ‘Wildlife City’ featuring habitat boxes built by local schoolchildren.

The event, being held at Lawrence Hall in Greycoat Street, is one of four RHS London shows re-launched this year to follow specific themes. BTCV celebrates its 50th birthday this year and was invited to create the central display for the ‘Greener Gardening’ event because of its experience of involving people all over the UK in wildlife gardening and conservation.

The challenge was accepted by BTCV’s Trust for Urban Ecology (TRUE). Already planning a series of workshops with Lambeth Schools – ‘Flights of Fancy’ – to promote the benefit of birds, TRUE Manager Ben Dewhurst saw an ideal opportunity to promote the work of the children as well as the greener gardening aims.

The ‘Wildlife City’ garden will feature ‘des res’ tower blocks that provide housing for everything from birds to bees and lacewings to frogs, complete with landscaped grounds of reed beds, willow walls and a fern garden. There will even be a loggery, just waiting to rot down and provide an ideal habitat for Stag Beetles.

The garden – which will be built by volunteers and staff at TRUE – provides ideas for wildlife gardening in small spaces, tricks for low maintenance ‘sustainable’ gardening and family entertainment.

The ‘sky scrapers’ will comprise purpose-built habitat boxes for various species, the lawn areas carpeted with sedum, heather and wildflowers and the soil-less wildlife pond built to be attractive to frogs, newts and bugs but also safe for toddlers! The reed beds and willow around the pond will also benefit from a grey-water recycling irrigation system.

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My Space? Our Space!’ - young volunteers run scheme to make South London better

Wednesday, 25 March 2009

South London volunteers, aged, 16-24, have demonstrated young people’s ability to take a positive and leading role in society in a project organised by green volunteering charity, BTCV.

Over 100 young people took part in projects to improve the environment at Stave Hill and Upper Dulwich Woods for the benefit of local residents and wildlife. The schemes were two of 15 ‘My Space? Our Space!’ community schemes across England, run by young people for young people. ‘My Space? Our Space!’ was set up by environmental volunteering charity BTCV, ‘and funded by The Veolia Environmental Trust, youth volunteering charity v and the John Laing Charitable Trust. In total, over eight hundred 16-24 year olds were involved in the two-year programme.

While social networking websites encourage young people to spend time in the virtual world, the BTCV-run ‘My Space! Our Space!’ programme enables young people to get out, meet up in real life, and stake a claim to spaces that they and the wider community can enjoy together. Each group of young people were given £16,000 to spend on their project and a twelve month timescale in which to turn their ideas into reality.

Volunteers from all 15 projects are meeting in London to celebrate the success of the programme and share experiences from around England. The event, at the Hilton Docklands Hotel, will give each project group the opportunity to tell their story through photographs documenting the changes to the ‘My Space? Our Space!’ sites and the lives of the young volunteers.

There will also be an opportunity to visit one of the ‘My Space? Our Space!’ projects in London, at Stave Hill. Volunteers have been involved in practical conservation tasks and habitat management, and will demonstrate how wildlife has benefitted from these activities. They have also put together a newsletter detailing their activities and encouraging local people to get involved in other projects in the area.

“ My Space? Our Space! has inspired young people the chance to transform the sites that are important to them and the community, as well as developing new skills and gaining valuable experience. Young people are sometimes portrayed very negatively, but this programme has shown what they can achieve with a little encouragement. This is showcased in our London projects by the practical transformations on the ground and the development of conservation skills in our volunteer teams.” Lisa Cowley National Programme Manager.

‘My Space? Our Space!’ volunteer, Emilie Giovanni, says, " I worked outside at Lavender Pond on a great range of tasks: coppicing trees, managing ponds, clearing undergrowth and replanting, and caring for tools. Although I had no prior volunteering experience, I was welcomed into the team and I now have good environmental skills."

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Shake off the credit-crunch blues with a free green day out this Easter

Monday, 16 March 2009

Staying in the UK over the Easter holidays this year? Fancy doing something green? The country’s leading environmental volunteering charity BTCV is offering a range of activities over the Easter holiday period that are fun, free and eco-friendly. Lasting a day or less, these events let you get active, learn new skills and improve beautiful green spaces for people and wildlife. Part of BTCV’s 50th anniversary celebrations, the activities include:

- Drystone walling, building planters and Easter egg hunt at Grandhome Estate on the banks of the Don, Aberdeen, 6 April

- Opening up an ancient meadow for all to enjoy at Adelaide Local Nature Reserve in North West London, 7 April

- Building a composter to help people ‘grow their own’ at St Aidan's Allotments, Bristol, 7 April

- Tidying up the beautiful Cornish coast between Truro and Malpas, 8 April

- Creating habitats and surveying for wildlife in the Scottish Highlands, Merkinch, Inverness, 8 April

- Easter Crafts for kids at Kirkby Malzeard Village Hall, Ripon, 8 April

- Managing heathland at St Faith Common, near Horsland, Norfolk, 16 April

- A close encounter with owls at Buckingham Community Centre, 19 April For further information about these and other BTCV events in your area over the Easter holiday period contact Customer Services on 01302 388883 or visit www.btcv.org.

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Do You Dig Doug? - Green volunteer charity BTCV launch hit blog for nomadic spad

Friday, 13 March 2009

Have you ever heard of a smiling garden spade that travels the UK, blogging off about his journey the whole way? No? Well now you have. Doug, a stainless steel digging spade with a big personality, has been sent on a great adventure by BTCV.

BTCV, a registered charity, is now the world’s largest team of green volunteers. It makes a significant impact on the UK and international environment by inspiring 300,000 people to look after and improve more than 50,000 places. This year, the organisation celebrates 50 years of getting people active in the environment.

Doug is mucking in with the celebrations by taking the party spirit to as many BTCV projects as possible in 2009 and reporting back on the I Dig Doug blog.

He’s already won the hearts of dozens of BTCV volunteers since he embarked on his journey in the new year and has got stuck in at what he does best – digging! That includes digging around for a good story, as well as raised vegetable plots.

Doug has captured everyone’s imagination at BTCV with volunteers queuing up to have their photograph taken with him and I Dig Doug is a window into a day-in-the-life with BTCV. Whether its a Green Gym, a 50th Anniversary party (there will be a few of those!), how BTCV Enterprises educates and trains people, or what you can expect from one of our working holidays, Doug will be exploring every corner of the organisation and doing his fair share of the dirty work on the way.

http://btcv-i-dig-doug.blogspot.com

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Cornish or Italian? Easter eco-holidays offer choice of flavours.

Monday, 9 March 2009

Luxulyn, Cornwall 3-10 April 2009 or Villa Piancini, Umbria, Italy 11-18 and/or 18-25 April 2009

Whether leafy Cornwall or sunny Umbria suit your taste, leading practical conservation charity BTCV is offering an Easter holiday that’s good for the environment and good for you.

If you prefer an active outdoor holiday here in the UK, Luxulyn in Cornwall from 3-10 April is for you. You will be helping to look after a beautiful wooded valley graced by a spectacular disused viaduct and plunging river. Getting lots of exercise, you will be creating and improving footpaths to help people access the valley and discover its rich variety of wildlife. The site is close to the Eden project and the historic square rig sailing vessels at Charlestown harbour – so you'll be spoilt for choice in your free time. The cost is £ 180.00, including food. Travel is not included.

If you prefer the flavour of Italy in April, Villa Pianciani Delizia near Spoleto, among the rolling hills and olive groves of the Umbrian hills, is for you. Based in luxury farm house accommodation in the grounds of this beautiful 19th Century National Monument, you’ll be helping to restore its park and gardens to the glory envisaged by neoclassic architect Giuseppe Valadier, designer of Rome’s magnificent Piazza del Popolo. The holiday costs £375, running 11-18 April and 18-25 April, with a 30% discount if you stay both weeks. Food is included in the price, but you will need to make your own travel arrangements.

You will be inspired on a BTCV Conservation Holiday, meet people you wouldn’t usually meet, do things you had no idea you could do, and have a great time too! It’s easy to forget about the stress and routine of your normal everyday life when you’re working in beautiful scenery, making new friends, and gaining a sense of achievement. You’ll live, cook and laugh together, and in the evenings there’s free time to relax and maybe socialise even more.

For more information about BTCV Conservation Holidays, visit www.btcv.org.uk /shop or call Customer Services on 01302 388883.

BTCV is grateful to Norwich Union, a member of the AVIVA Group, for generous support of the BTCV Conservation Holiday Programme.

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Community Champions prove that Every Action Counts

Tuesday, 24 February 2009

Across England, more than 900 Community Champions are now helping local people take simple everyday actions that will benefit themselves and their environment.

Trained by green volunteering charity BTCV, as part of Defra’s Every Action Counts initiative, the Community Champions are working with groups, clubs and societies to identify small actions that will together make a big difference. These include tips on how to save energy, shop ethically and travel wisely.

Now Ministers are keen to learn from their experiences and find out how further Champions might be supported in the future. Ed Miliband MP, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, and Rosie Winterton MP, Minister of State, Dept of Work & Pensions, will be meeting a group of 20 Champions from Yorkshire and the North-East at a special event in Doncaster on Friday 13 February.

Ed Miliband says: "The Community Champions scheme run by BTCV has been key to empowering community groups and individuals to make those changes at a grass roots level to help tackle climate change." Rosie Winterton says: “Volunteering can be enjoyable and rewarding, meeting new friends and making a real difference to improve their environment or help other people. It is a great way to learn new skills and gain confidence which can also help to improve employment opportunities. Volunteers play a vital role and I would encourage people to get involved and give up some of their free time to helping their community."

Helen Gleave, a Community Champion based near Thirsk, says: “When I joined I had only just moved to the area and it seemed a good way to get to know people. I liked the idea of taking action as a community, rather than just as an individual. It can be tricky because you are working with people who may not naturally be interested, the opposite of preaching to the converted, but that makes it all the more important.”

Tom Flood, BTCV’s Chief Executive says: “By helping people understand the value of small actions, we inspire them to make bigger and more positive environmental changes in their lifestyles. The scheme helps creates resilience in local communities, bringing people together through a common interest.”

Although funding for the Community Champions programme ends in 2009, BTCV is working with NIACE (the National Institute for Adult Continuing Education) to develop an online training course to support future Champions.

If you would like the skills and knowledge to inspire your local community to take environmental action, please contact BTCV on T: 01302 388 883 E: information@btcv.org.uk W: www.btcv.org

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Mud, Sweat & Cheers!

Sunday, 15 February 2009

Green volunteers celebrate 50th Anniversary

Professor David Bellamy is helping BTCV celebrate 50 years of green volunteering at the place where it all started – Box Hill in Surrey - on 12 February.

BTCV, a registered charity, is now the world’s largest team of green volunteers. It makes a significant impact on the UK and international environment by inspiring 300,000 people to look after and improve more than 50,000 places.

In 1959, BTCV’s roots were established as the Conservation Corps, which was set up to inspire volunteers to do practical conservation work. The first BTCV project saw forty two volunteers, including David Bellamy, clear dogwood to encourage the growth of juniper and distinctive chalkland wildflowers at Box Hill, in Surrey.

Now a BTCV Vice-President, Professor Bellamy is returning to the Box Hill site on 12 February to celebrate the success of the organisation which he helped on its way, and to support the ongoing conservation work at this well-known beauty spot, just south of London. He will be joined by a group of BTCV’s current 16-25 year old volunteers and a group of volunteers who were of similar age in the 1960s, with the aim of exchanging experiences and discussing what has and has not changed.

David Bellamy says, “It’s amazing to think how far BTCV has grown since putting down its roots at Box Hill. In fifty years many things have changed, but volunteering remains an inspiring way to make a difference to the environment and people’s lives. Volunteering with BTCV gets people healthy, and helps them to re-train and find new jobs while improving the environment. “So far BTCV has made a difference to hundreds of thousands of people – across the UK and worldwide. You can help them continue their achievements by volunteering in your area or supporting their work with a donation.”

Box Hill is an outstanding area of woodland and chalk downland that is owned and managed by the National Trust. For the Trust, the assistance of volunteers continues to be as important today as it has always been. If you would like to find out more about volunteering for the Trust at Box Hill, please call Mark Dawson on 01306 885502.

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Country Living Magazine - February 2009

Thursday, 22 January 2009

CALLING ALL LONELY HEARTS!

Are you single, widowed, divorced? Do you love getting out into the countryside and meeting like-minded people? Then eco-dating is for you! It’s the new way to find a soul-mate and, wherever it leads, to friendship and fun or romance and marriage, you’ll be doing your bit for the British countryside at the same time.

We are linking up with BTCV (formerly British Trust for Conservation Volunteers), to bring people together in the great outdoors and put a spring in their step. Clare Michael, a 29-year-old landscape architect, met her boyfriend, Simon, on a hedge-laying day. “We were able to chat very easily and seemed to have similar interests. Eco-dating is very relaxed. Everyone is there to have a good time and it’s great to meet all kinds of people who care about the environment, especially if you can find a relationship too! “I love the outdoors – hiking, climbing, surfing, and people who are interested in volunteering in outdoor activities tend to like these same things. Their eco-friendliness is a bonus.”

The first CL/BTCV event is in the York area on 7 February, at the special price of £5 for the day, including tuition, refreshments and lunch. A week later, you could be enjoying a Valentine’s Supper. The project is tree-planting, and volunteers will work with a partner for ten minutes, then move on to the next “date” until the work is completed. If you can’t make this month’s eco-dating session, there will be another one in July, which will be a day pulling ragwort. Contact BTCV to register your interest in future events on 01904 644300 or e-mail york@btcv.org.uk. And let us know how you get on!

Lantra partnership to boost environmental conservation skills

Monday, 1 December 2008

Volunteering charity BTCV has joined forces with Sector Skills Council Lantra to boost the development of environmental conservation skills and qualifications.

The two organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, committing to share knowledge and experience. The aim is to develop skills and business support for the environmental conservation sector, including training, information, advice and associated funding.

The move comes at a time of many challenges for the sector, including funding issues, responding to the new EU Qualifications and Credit Framework and the downturn in the UK economy.

BTCV’s Training Development Manager, David Ashurst, said: “Volunteers are vital to the performance of many environmental conservation businesses. BTCV is recognised as a natural partner in helping to ensure that support for skills development reflects their needs and is increasingly demand-led.”

Lantra’s Industry Partnership Manager, Kevin Patrick, said: “Lantra and BTCV share a number of strategic and business objectives relating to the development of people, both employed and working as volunteers, in environmental conservation. Both organisations recognise the value of developing skills and the positive impact this has on business performance and the economy, on biodiversity targets, on quality of life, social inclusion and community cohesion, and on the long-term sustainability of the environmental and land-based sector.”

The partnership between Lantra and BTCV has already been established through research on volunteer skills. This research found that over 500,000 people volunteer within the environmental and land-based industries, principally in industries such as trees and timber, landscape, fencing, environmental conservation and animal care. The research also assessed volunteer learning and development needs, and looked at the scope of current training provision available and how it meets their needs.

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BTCV sustains diversity performance

Friday, 28 November 2008

New statistics show that BTCV is the UK’s leading environmental charity in engaging under-represented communities.

In the last financial year, BTCV worked with more than 25,000 people from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.

BTCV also worked with 2,000 community groups from under-represented communities and engaged 16,000 unemployed people. Plus, 44% of all people involved in BTCV come from under-represented communities.

Over the last three years, BTCV’s engagement with people from BME communities has remained consistently high, averaging 27,000 people.

Marie, an asylum seeker and BTCV volunteer said: “At a time when I really needed it, BTCV kept me busy, giving me new skills and providing me with a new family that has helped me to feel that I not only belong but I’m contributing something positive to my new home”.

Clifford Davy, BTCV Head of Diversity said: "I am delighted that BTCV has been able to build and sustain key relationships with partners, to tackle environmental inequality on a significant scale, through effective engagement with under-represented communities across the UK."

To read the full report, go to: http://www2.btcv.org.uk/diversity_performance_08.pdf

For further information on BTCV's diversity work, read Changed Places, Changed Lives. http://www2.btcv.org.uk/display/changedplaces

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BTCV celebrates 50 years of green volunteering

Tuesday, 25 November 2008

BTCV is celebrating its fiftieth birthday next year – in February 2009. The UK’s leading green volunteering charity is celebrating half a century of ‘Inspiring people and improving places’.

BTCV was founded in 1959 as The Conservation Corps by the Council for Nature – an umbrella body of natural history organisations which included the RSPB and World Wildlife Fund (now WWF). The name was taken from the California Conservation Corps, which had been set up in the 30s as part of Roosevelt’s New Deal.

The first Conservation Corps leader was Brigadier Armstrong, followed by Major Judge. There were lots of officers returning from the war who had a reasonable pension, were too young to retire, and were good at organising, and projects like this were seen as valuable outlets for their talents.

The Conservation Corps was set up to provide a workforce for the recently created national parks and nature reserves. Another aim was encouraging young people growing up in urban areas to learn about natural history.

During the 1960s, a typical Conservation Corps project might involve 40 men and women, accommodated in separate marquees, with a hired cook. Leaders had no particular training and Health & Safety regulations were less rigorous than today.

In March 1970 the Conservation Corps was established as a charity in its own right, under the name British Trust for Conservation Volunteers. Since then, BTCV has improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, who have made a significant impact on the UK’s environment [1]. Today BTCV supports 300,000 green volunteers taking hands-on action to improve their urban and rural surroundings. The charity’s slogan -‘Inspiring people, improving places’ - reflects its aim to create better local environments where people from all cultures feel valued, included and involved.

Tom Flood, BTCV’s chief executive, says: "So much has changed in the first fifty years of our history, yet our core values remain the same – to inspire people and improve places. We want to celebrate our first 50 years by showing what a difference green volunteering has made and does make to our lives and the environments we live in: volunteering is the DNA of society.”

Sir David Attenborough, a vice president of the charity, says, " Volunteering with BTCV brings together people from all walks of life and gives them a common purpose – to learn about, to understand and become part of the natural world. They volunteer not just because they want to bring about change to their local environment, but because it’s fun – it gets you outdoors, it makes you fit and you’re learning something new all the time. BTCV is working hard to make that happen.”

You can find details of BTCV volunteering events happening near you by visiting www.btcv.org or calling the BTCV information line on 01302 388 883.

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BTCV welcomes Richard Rogers as new Ambassador

Tuesday, 28 October 2008

Environmental volunteering charity BTCV has appointed Richard Rogers CBE, former Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Environment and Heritage Service, as one of its new Ambassadors.

Mr Rogers headed the EHS (now renamed The Northern Ireland Environment Agency) for seven years until his retirement earlier this year. Prior to this, he was Director of Environmental Policy in the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland.

He will use his experience to advise BTCV on strategic planning issues, particularly in light of the organisation’s 50th anniversary in 2009.

Mr Rogers said: “Conservation doesn’t always grasp people’s imaginations – they often cannot see its relevance to their lives or the part in which they can play in it. BTCV has an excellent record in helping people make those connections and do something practical. It also leads the way in showing how environmental volunteering can bring about much broader social regeneration.”

Tom Flood CBE, BTCV’s Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to welcome Richard on board. His expertise and experience, both in management and the environment sector, will be invaluable.”

The role of Ambassador to BTCV is a new initiative to increase the impact of BTCV's environmental work and to emphasise BTCV's public accountability. Ambassadors are senior volunteers and friends of BTCV who support its development and strategic direction.

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Conservation caught on camera

Thursday, 18 September 2008

Environmental volunteering charity BTCV’s annual photo competition has this year drawn in images of people all over the world looking after their local wildlife and green spaces. The overall winner was Tom Fyson who receives £500 for his photograph in the ‘Getting the job done’ category. It depicts a local Romanian villager hard at work bringing in the hay. The picture was taken in July 2007 during a BTCV conservation holiday as part of the Vargyas Gorge and Almas Community Project in the Carpathian Mountains, Romania.

Over 1,200 images were entered, with the winners being chosen by a public vote.

The other categories were: Landscape and Wildlife – winner: Charmaine Murray, for a picture of the Nevada desert taken on a BTCV holiday as part of the The Nevada Outdoor School (NOS) a non-profit organisation that educates people about their local environment and encourages them to take more environmental responsibility.

Time Off – winner: Nicola Goddard: for her photograph of volunteers taking a break from the not so glamorous but vital task of litter picking whilst on the BTCV The ‘Beachsweeps’ in Cornwall October 2007.

BTCV’s Publications Manager Rob Bowker said “The people that entered this year’s competition really captured the spirit of BTCV, and the standard of photography was so high it was difficult to select a short list. The total number of public votes was 9,084, and Tom won by just 11 votes. BTCV would like to thank everyone that entered. “To celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2009, we are also in the process of compiling a photo archive on flickr so please keep sending us your pictures.”

The 2008 competition is now open, to enter and find out more about BTCV, our projects and how you can get involved visit www.btcv.org/news or call 01302 388883.

To view this year’s winners and entries go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/btcvphotocomp/sets/72157605837723535/.

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KEEP IT CLEAN - URGE FRIENDS OF KINSON COMMON AND MILLHAMS MEADERS

Monday, 1 September 2008

Volunteers from north Bournemouth Countryside Volunteers will be joining BTCV to clear up two sites in north Bournemouth.

Its all happening as part of the Stour Valley Festival taking place on the 12th – 14th September at Stour Valley Nature Reserve. Local volunteers will join BTCV and Friends of Kinson Common and the Millhams Meaders to help tidy up two well used local nature reserves.

This Tidy up is open to the public, so please come along and join in. The more people that help, the tidier the sites will be. It’s also a great opportunity to enjoy the Stour Valley Festival and see two local nature reserves. All are welcome! BTCV will be running the event and will provide equipment, including litter picking tools, bags and gloves and practical support from professional staff. BTCV is supporting the Big Tidy Up, the countries biggest ever litter tidy up, organised by Keep Britain Tidy. See www.bigtidyup.org Figures released by Keep Britain Tidy have revealed: - That council taxpayers in the UK fork out £500m a year to clean the streets.

- Over 30m tonnes of litter are collected from our streets each year

- That thanks to the growing presence of dropped food, the UK rat population now stands at approximately sixty million - People can be fined £80 for dropping litter. Last year 44,000 people were prosecuted

Like everywhere else in the UK, Millhams Mead and Kinson Common has its fair share of litter. But thanks to the constant work of local volunteers they at least have people prepared to do something about it. The Big Tidy Up volunteers will gather at the Stour Valley festival at 11:00 on Sunday 14th September. They will be transported to Kinson Common and spend a couple of hours removing rubbish from the site

The second opportunity will be during the afternoon when volunteers will gather at the festival at 14:00 to depart for Millhams mead, where after two hours they will leave a rubbish free site!

These two tidy ups are open to the public so feel free to come along a join in. The groups are hoping that as many volunteers as possible will come and join them and that the rest of the community gets the message that dropping litter is simply not on.

The Bournemouth Big Tidy Up takes place at: The Stour Valley Festival

Location: Stour Valley Local Nature Reserve

Date: 14th September 2008

Time: 11:00 and 14:00

You are invited to send a photographer/reporter to this event.

For further information please contact Paul Sherriff on 01935 415 255, 07764 655 719, p.sherriff@btcv.org.uk

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Help BTCV celebrate 50 years of environmental volunteering

Monday, 1 September 2008

BTCV is asking volunteers, old and new, to help celebrate its fiftieth birthday next year. The UK’s leading environmental conservation charity is asking for volunteering anecdotes, old newspaper cuttings and any other memorabilia which record BTCV’s first 50 years of ‘Inspiring people, improving places’.

It might be a story about the ‘Three Year Million Tree’ campaign from the 1990s, or a cutting about BTCV’s first international conservation project in Czechoslovakia in 1969. Or maybe you were one of the 42 people, along with David Bellamy, taking part in the very first project at Box Hill in Surrey, in 1959? Whenever the occasion, from 1959 to 2008, if you were there, or had friends or family who were, BTCV would like to hear from you.

BTCV was founded in 1959 as the Conservation Corps, under the leadership of Brigadier Armstrong. While many things have changed since then, BTCV is more committed than ever to inspiring people to get involved in practical action to look after our environment. Today BTCV supports 300,000 volunteers taking hands-on action to improve their urban and rural surroundings. The charity’s slogan -‘Inspiring people, improving places’ - reflects its aim to create better local environments where people from all cultures feel valued, included and involved.

Tom Flood, BTCV’s chief executive, says: "We want to celebrate our first 50 years by showing what a difference volunteering can make to our lives and the environments we live in."

Sir David Attenborough, a vice president of the charity, says, "I am proud to be a BTCV supporter because I know that 'thinking globally and acting locally' is one of the keys to our future. “The wonderful thing about BTCV is that it gives people practical opportunities to get involved in looking after their local area, and this opens the door to broader environmental awareness and action. Please support BTCV - the planet needs them!"

You can email, post or call BTCV with your anecdotes or memorabilia: Email: 50@btcv.org.uk Post: Katie Hallam, BTCV, Sedum House, Mallard Way Doncaster DN4 8DB Telephone: 01302 388 833.

You can also find details of BTCV volunteering events happening near you by visiting www.btcv.org or calling the BTCV information line on 01302 388 883.

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Bill Oddie presents Network Rail Environment Award to local volunteers

Thursday, 17 July 2008

Environment charity BTCV has won a Network Rail Environment Award for its work at a site in Great Stukeley, Cambridgeshire.

Volunteers from BTCV’s Bedford team have been working to protect a railway embankment which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Their achievements have now been recognised with the winning of the Biodiversity Protection category in Network Rail’s national environment awards. The nominees were announced by wildlife presenter Bill Oddie and the award was presented by Iain Coucher, Network Rail Chief Executive, at a ceremony at the Natural History Museum in London.

Ed Green, BTCV Bedford Project Officer, said: “It shows what a difference a small group of people, working together as a team, can make to local wildlife and habitats. The volunteers aren’t trained professionals – just people who have decided to give their time and made an amazing contribution. It’s great to see them getting this recognition. We would love to hear from people or groups interested in joining the project.”

The Network Rail judging panel praised BTCV ‘for demonstrating good practice and adopting a scientific approach to conserving the grassland habitat at Great Stukeley, near Huntingdon. The work has enhanced and protected the wildlife in the area and given volunteers the opportunity to improve their skills and environmental knowledge’.

Dr Tom Charman from Natural England’s Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Land Management Team said: “Natural England is very pleased to be working in partnership with BTCV and Network Rail to safeguard this special site. Chalk grassland is a rare habitat in Huntingdonshire that supports some fantastic plants and animals. However, it requires regular management otherwise scrub and coarse grasses begin to take over. BTCV and Network Rail are working hard to prevent this from happening and it is great to see that a range of wildflowers and insects, such as pyramidal orchids and the marbled white butterfly, have already benefited.”

Network Rail’s Off Track team usually deals with issues such as fly tipping, graffiti and fencing, and it was recognised that the 36 hectare area was in need of some specialist attention. They have therefore been working in partnership with Natural England and BTCV to manage the land. Because of the dangers of working so close to the railway, the Off Track team ensure that the charity volunteers are given a safety briefing before starting work, and are supervised by a controller of site safety at all times.

BTCV volunteers have carried out more than 350 volunteer work days on this site in the last two years, cutting and removing grass (the wildflowers need low nutrient soils) and managing the invasive scrub. They will also be involved with fencing off some of the area with a view to introducing animals to graze the site.

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Appointment of Professor Kay Hampton as Ambassador

Thursday, 3 July 2008

BTCV is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Kay Hampton as the first of its Ambassadors, a new role for the organisation.

Dr Kay Hampton FRSA, FHEA is a Professor in Communities & Race Relations at Glasgow Caledonian University. She is also a Commissioner with the Equalities and Human Rights Commision, UK, and with the Scottish Human Rights Commission.

BTCV is the UK's leading environmental volunteering charity with over a quarter of a million volunteers annually undertaking practical conservation activity. BTCV's mission is an improved environment where people feel valued, included and involved.

The role of Ambassador to BTCV is a new initiative to increase the impact of BTCV's environmental work and to emphasise BTCV's public accountability. Ambassadors are senior volunteers and friends of BTCV who support its development and help elect its Board of Trustees. The role was created by the Board following a review of governance that it commissioned to continue BTCV's commitment to accountability and transparent and effective governance.

Prof Kay Hampton said: “I am delighted to be an Ambassador to BTCV. The investment case for environmental volunteering as a necessary element of public policy, for social as well as environmental benefits, is compelling.”

Rupert Evenett, Chair of BTCV, said: “We are delighted to have Kay Hampton as the first of our new Ambassadors. A senior figure with great stature in the worlds of social justice and diversity, we look forward to her guidance and advice.”

Tom Flood, Chief Executive of BTCV said: “Kay Hampton's understanding of the significance of the outcomes of practical environmental volunteering will help BTCV achieve its ambitions in growing our proven environmental and social impact.”

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Environmental volunteers to be recognised across Europe

Wednesday, 21 May 2008

Recognition for skills gained informally is a key feature of the first Europe-wide accreditation scheme for Environmental Volunteers.

“Environments for Learning” will enable skills gained in the UK to be recognised by environmental organisations in many other countries. The programme is being developed by BTCV and partners across Europe, based on the new European Qualification Framework. Often gained informally through practical work, volunteers’ knowledge and capabilities will be assessed, accredited and recognised using a standard pan-European system

“This will be especially important for our younger volunteers, who often take time out before, during or after studies,” says Anita Prosser, Head of International Development at leading environmental conservation charity BTCV, the UK partners in the scheme. “It will also benefit those de-motivated by studying, who learn new skills in a friendly and informal setting”.

The five pilot areas covered by the scheme will be leadership, project management, trail management, nature management and citizenship/community development.

The Environments for Learning project is run by BTCV and is funded by the European Union’s Leonardo da Vinci programme for improving the quality of vocational education and training in Europe. It will formally launch across Europe in September 2008. The seven project partners are from five countries: BTCV (UK), Green Balkans (Bulgaria), Estonian Fund for Nature (ELF, Estonia), Hólar University College and Environment Agency of Iceland (UST) (Iceland), Elix Conservation Volunteers and KESSA DIMITRA (Greece).

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Conservation work attracting more people with disabilities, says new report

Thursday, 20 March 2008

A massive increase in the number of disabled people taking part in environmental conservation activities is reported by BTCV, the UK’s largest practical conservation charity.

According to the BTCV Diversity Report 2008, the greatest rise was amongst BTCV’s key volunteers, where the proportion classing themselves as disabled has gone from zero to one-in-ten in just two years. For all BTCV volunteers, the figure has moved from 9% to 11%, while the percentage of paid staff reported as disabled has more than quadrupled from 2.5% to 12%. Conditions range from limited mobility and hearing impairment to Dyslexia.

“The results highlight the success of BTCV’s policy to include individuals and groups traditionally under-represented in the environmental sector,” says Tom Flood, BTCV’s Chief Executive.

The figures also show a healthy diversity across the board, with BTCV involving over 80,000 individuals in diversity-related work, with over 20,000 (25%) from a BME background. The survey for the first time also identified 9% of BTCV staff as White but not British, giving a combined total of 12% BME and ‘White Other’, as compared with 7.9% of the UK population. 37% of all people involved in BTCV activities come from communities under-represented in environmental volunteering; for example refugees and asylum seekers, those at risk of offending and people living in poverty.

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Green Gym celebrates 10 year milestone

Thursday, 21 February 2008

Ten years ago the first Green Gym was set up in Sonning Common, Oxfordshire to try out the theory that you really can keep fit and healthy by doing practical nature conservation. That pioneering group has proved the theory works, and it continues to attract new volunteers of all ages as well as retain old hands who joined at the very start.

The original Green Gym idea came from Dr. William Bird of the Sonning Common Health Centre, which developed it in partnership with BTCV. Since then over 60 Green Gyms have been set up by BTCV throughout the country, with more in the pipeline. Oxfordshire now boasts 5 Green Gyms, the most in any county – Abingdon, Bicester, Chipping Norton and Wallingford have been added to Sonning Common.

The anniversary will be celebrated with a giant work party at Aston Rowant Nature Reserve on Thursday 6th March. All 5 Oxon groups will be participating, as well as Dr.William Bird. They will be cutting down hawthorn scrub which is threatening to choke out the wonderful variety of wildflowers and mosses growing on the Chiltern hillside. The Reserve is also celebrating an anniversary this year - its 50th.

The Sonning Common group has been volunteering at Aston Rowant every month for 10 years, drawn by the many different types of conservation tasks it offers such as fencing, gate installation and juniper planting. “I love coming here because there’s always something new to do. We’ve seen it in all sorts of weather - fog, snow, blazing sun, but you never tire of the fantastic views” says founder member Diane Gordon. During the anniversary session a bench will be installed in memory of Fred Denton, another founder volunteer.

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Speed-dating launched for green-minded singles

Tuesday, 12 February 2008

SINGLE people in York are to have the chance to find romance - and save the planet at the same time.

An environmental charity is using the city to introduce the world to eco-dating, a new form of match-making.

The organisers are BTCV, the largest practical conservation charity in the country.

According to the charity, eco-dating is speed dating for environmentally-conscious singles aged 20-40 and organisers believe the up-coming event to be the first of its kind in the world.

Speed dating, for the uninitiated, originated in the United States in late 1990s as a way for busy singles to meet a new partner.

A large group of single people meet in a bar or club, pair off and chat for just a few minutes, before a bell rings and they move on to the next person for another quick-fire "date". advertisement

Once they have all met each other, the participants advise the organisers which date they would like to see again. Providing the other party feels the same, you have a match.

Eco-dating seeks to take the speed dating idea, and do a little for the environment at the same time - by planting a hedgerow to restore the environment.

On arrival at the event, participants will be informed how to plant a section of hedge and will then be split into pairs.

From then on, the pairs have ten minutes to chat while they plant, before moving on to plant another section and another date.

The event is part of a project aimed at restoring local hedgerows and is funded by national small grants programme Breathing Spaces.

The event will take place on Bootham Stray, between 11am and 2pm, on February 9, the Saturday before St Valentine's Day. It is free to take part, and refreshments of hot drinks and cookies will be provided.

Spaces are limited however, so if you are interested, phone BTCV York on 01904 644300 or via email at york@btcv.org.uk.

8:53pm Sunday 13th January 2008

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Schools embrace Globe project

Monday, 11 February 2008

TEN schools between Helmsley and Malton have signed up for involvement in the Globe Programme, an ongoing international programme that encourages schools throughout the world to measure aspects of their local environment and to report the results over the internet.

The national conservation charity BTCV is running The Global to Local Connection Project, a 10-month programme linked to the international Globe Programme with funding from the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Sustainable Development Fund.

Schools within the AONB and areas bordering it have been invited to engage with the scheme, which covers topics of water, soil, weather and land cover and links in with the National Curriculum in numeracy, ICT and science. advertisement

Participating schools receive a package consisting of a day's introduction to the Globe Project for a teacher, a pack of teaching materials and three two-hour sessions delivered by BTCV staff. The project is running for a further three months, until the end of March 2008, and has capacity for at least six more schools to take part.

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Charity head visits cleaner and greener estate in Hackney

Thursday, 8 November 2007

The head of the government’s charity and volunteering department is to visit the Lordship South Estate in Hackney to see the green transformation that volunteers have achieved.

Campbell Rob, Director General of the Office of the Third Sector, will join volunteers from environment charity BTCV and the estate’s Tenant Management Organisation as they plant and care for shrubs in the community garden and across the estate.

BTCV works with more than 200,000 volunteers and 2,000 local community groups across the UK, providing opportunities, training and support to get people involved in looking after their local environment. Over the last few years, BTCV has supported the Lordship South tenants in completely re-landscaping and regenerating the estate.

Local resident Sarah Vaughn-Roberts said: “The tenants’ group has had ongoing support from BTCV over the years, from mentoring grants applications to continuing practical work, and is proud of what has been achieved. It has enabled us to bring residents together and make the site cleaner and greener.”

Campbell Rob said: “I am delighted to be visiting this BTCV project. The Office of the Third Sector are very proud to have BTCV as one of their key partners. Their work provides enormous benefit, not only to the local communities whose environment is being transformed, but also to the volunteers taking part. There is an increasing body of evidence showing that engagement with nature through environmental volunteering can help tackle obesity, heart disease and mental ill health. The commitment of £515 million to organisations like BTCV in the Third Sector Review, demonstrates our continued support for their excellent work.”

Campbell Rob will then go on to visit BTCV’s Railway Fields Education Centre in Haringey where around 30 pupils from the local Bruce Grove Primary School will be on site to take part in a session on 'growing plants'.

BTCV London Manager Richard Rigby said: “The physical improvements to a site are important, but it is also great to get people involved in looking after their local area, raising awareness of the environment, encouraging new skills and helping to build a sense of common ownership.”

The Lordship South Estate project has been part funded by the Groundwork East London grants scheme Our Space, Our Say. Supported by UBS, Global Financial Services Firm, the scheme aims to develop capacity and skills of people so that they can improve their local environment in Hackney. To find out more, contact Nimish Shah on 020 8985 1755 E: Nimish.Shah@groundworkeastlondon.org

BTCV is always looking for more volunteers – it’s free, there’s no previous experience necessary and it’s a great way to make friends and have fun.

To find out more about looking after your local environment, contact BTCV London: T: 020 7278 4294 E: London@btcv.org.uk www.btcv.org/london

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My Space? Our Space!

Tuesday, 6 November 2007

Environmental volunteering charity BTCV is to launch a new community programme that will put 16-25 year olds in charge.

My Space? Our Space! will create 15 community environment projects across England, run by young people for young people. Set up by BTCV, it is funded by The Veolia Environmental Trust through the Landfill Communities Fund, youth volunteering charity v and the John Laing Charitable Trust. Over one thousand 16-24 year olds will be involved in the two year programme, showing young people’s ability to take a positive and leading role in society.

Miles Sibley, Development Director for BTCV, says: "We are delighted to be working on a programme that enables young people to make a positive contribution in their own neighbourhoods. Local places are what matter most to young people, and the funding will generate energy, enthusiasm and visible improvements to local green spaces.”

My Space? Our Space! projects will be developed based on the interests and involvement of local young people and will include: Students in Rochdale reclaiming an area to grow food Young people from Bexhill improving an area of land around a local environment centre Young disabled volunteers from Poole making a DVD to inspire others to get involved.

Margaret Cobbold, Executive Director of The Veolia Environmental Trust, says: “The Trust is supporting 'My Space? Our Space!' because it will give young volunteers the chance to improve their local environment and learn new skills. I’m sure those taking part will also have a really good time and I look forward to seeing the projects develop and thrive over the next two years.’

Terry Ryall, v Chief Executive, says: “v is delighted to be able to provide financial support to BTCV through our Match Fund programme for this project which will inspire young people to volunteer.”

Michael Hamilton, Secretary of the John Laing Charitable Trust, said: “John Laing is pleased to be able to complete the funding package that enables this exciting project to proceed.”

The My Space? Our Space! programme will be officially launched by Baroness Andrews, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Communities and Local Government, at an event in Wakefield on 21 November.

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CONSERVATION CHARITY BTCV TEAMS UP WITH RBS EMPLOYEES

Monday, 5 November 2007

The UK’s leading environmental volunteering charity, BTCV has announced a new partnership with The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS). Finance managers from RBS in Edinburgh will mark the launch of the partnership by taking part in a day of practical conservation activity at Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre, Grangemouth on Wednesday, 7 November.

The new partnership will provide RBS employees across the UK with opportunities to get involved and work alongside BTCV staff on local conservation projects which could include anything from tree planting to creating community gardens. Team challenge days will allow staff to learn new skills while developing relationships with colleagues and completing essential conservation tasks. They will also be encouraged to share their professional skills with local BTCV management and community group leaders by offering them mentor support or advising on business plans.

While many RBS staff already participate and volunteer in local community initiatives, the BTCV partnership marks the first employee involvement programme which encourages employees to make a positive impact on their local environment.

The RBS team will be involved with the construction of propagation benches, as well as weeding and planting in Jupiter’s wildflower nursery. Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre, joint managed by BTCV and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, has been created in an industrial estate and has been developed to show how urban green spaces can be created from wasteland, and how green amenity areas, including gardens, can be managed to meet both human and wildlife needs. The site consists of formal garden areas that demonstrate techniques which people can use in their own gardens to benefit wildlife, habitat creation areas where new wildlife habitats have been created from scratch and now abound with wildlife, and areas where nature has been allowed to develop under its own power.

Tom Flood, Chief Executive at BTCV, said: “We are delighted that RBS has chosen BTCV as its environmental charity partner. Corporate partnerships and the associated financial support they bring are particularly important for BTCV, enabling us to engage many more people in practical conservation activities and make an even greater positive impact on both rural and urban communities.

He added,”This partnership is about much more than employees working together and improving their local environment for one day. It is an opportunity for them to change their behaviours at work and at home and make a lasting difference to the planet.”

Stephen Moir, Head of Community Investment at RBS, added, "We recognise that the environment is a key concern for many of our employees and RBS' partnership with BTCV will give our people the opportunity to improve their local green spaces, working with the communities that benefit from and use them.

"Employees at RBS are given more time off than any other company to participate in community initiatives. The combination of the expertise of our charitable partners and the considerable talents and enthusiasm of our employees makes our community involvement extremely effective and rewarding for all involved."

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Renfrewshire Green Gym opens!

Monday, 5 November 2007

Community conservation work not only creates healthy environments, it also improves the health and well being of those involved.

The official launch of the Renfrewshire Green Gym took place on the 29th of October at the New Tannahill Centre in Ferguslie Park, Paisley. Paisley’s first ever Green Gym session saw Stewart Maxwell MSP, Minister for Communities and Sport, take part alongside new Green Gym volunteers as they started the process of upgrading the Trim Trail at Ferguslie Park Sport Centre, adjacent to the Tannahill Centre.

On launching the project, Communities and Sport Minister Stewart Maxwell said: “I am delighted to launch Renfrewshire Green Gym. This is a great initiative, which offers an alternative way of keeping healthy and active, while boosting the local environment and making a positive contribution to the community.”

Funded by Braehead, Xscape, Snozone and Fairshare, the Green Gym programme is managed by BTCV, the UK’s leading environmental volunteering charity, in partnership with a number of local organisations including Renfrewshire Council, Sustainable Communities, Renfrewshire Environment Trust and Renfrewshire Community Health Initiative.

The new Renfrewshire Green Gym will offer people of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to improve their fitness by involvement in practical conservation activities such as tree and hedge planting, creating and maintaining community gardens or improving footpaths. BTCV Scotland’s Director, Russell Hampton says, “This new project will give people the opportunity to play an active role in their local area, raise awareness of the value of urban green spaces and help improve individuals’ health and fitness through environmental volunteering. It is also an excellent example of how the private and voluntary sectors can work in partnership to the benefit of communities.”

Peter Badcock, Director of Capital Shopping Centres said, “Braehead, Xscape and Snozone are very much a part of the Renfrewshire community and we are always keen to play an active role. We believe that partnerships, such as the one that we have entered into with BTCV, are the key to cleaner, greener, healthier and safer communities, and we are delighted to be involved in bringing a Green Gym to Renfrewshire”

An initial programme of practical conservation work, for November and December 2007, will see Green Gym volunteers out and about improving wonderful sites such as Jenny’s Well Nature Reserve, Paisley Moss Nature Reserve, Gleniffer Braes, Durrockstock Park and Linwood Community Woodland. And over the next three years of the project local residents and groups will continue to have the opportunity to develop skills in conservation, work to improve local wide variety of local greenspace and, at the same time, improve their health and fitness. So, the Renfrewshire Green Gym really will be good for you and your local environment.

If you are interested in taking part, or would like to find out more, then please get in touch with Ann Nix, Green Gym Co-ordinator on 01505 337238 (email: gg-renfrewshire@btcv.org.uk).

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Volunteer for a better environment at Skelton Grange

Thursday, 1 November 2007

Hard-working volunteers have been helping Skelton Grange Environment Centre to provide an inspiring natural environment for visiting children to explore. The environmental education centre in South Leeds has been holding a range of volunteering events, and there’s still time to get involved! Volunteers have been constructing new footpaths, creating a storytelling area, and cutting the hedgerows back into shape.

The volunteering events have been supported by GreenPrints, a partnership of five of the country’s leading not-for-profit organisations that provides funding and support for over 700 projects, dedicated to helping young people improve green spaces in our communities. SITA Trust, v the youth volunteering charity, BTCV, The Wildlife Trusts and the BBC’s Breathing Places campaign, have joined forces to run one of the most integrated, supportive and intuitive funding programmes in the country.

The next event will be on 16th November, when volunteers can help to construct a footpath and create new habitats for hedgehogs and minibeasts! This will be followed by a two-day tree planting extravaganza on 31st November and 1st December, when a new woodland will be created. The events are aimed at 16-25 year olds, but all over 16s are welcome, and lunch will be included. Volunteers must book a place by emailing skelton@btcv.org.uk or by ringing 0113 2430815.

“These events are a great opportunity for people to try out volunteering, and to help keep Skelton Grange’s wildlife area looking great for visiting children,” said Project Officer Toby Roberts. “You don’t need to have any experience, just come and give it a try!”

Skelton Grange Environment Centre is an innovative environmental education project in South Leeds, which is a partnership between BTCV and National Grid with support from Leeds City Council. It offers a range of fun, hands-on environmental education activities for schoolchildren which aim to encourage an interest in the natural world. More information can be found on the centre’s website at www.skeltongrange.org.uk.

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New Renfrewshire Green Gym is good for you!

Thursday, 25 October 2007

Community conservation work not only creates healthy environments, it also improves the health and well being of those involved.

The official launch of the Renfrewshire Green Gym will take place, from 1.30 – 4pm, on the 29th of October at the New Tannahill Centre in Ferguslie Park, Paisley. Paisley’s first ever Green Gym session will see Stewart Maxwell MSP, Minister for Communities and Sport, take part alongside new Green Gym volunteers as they start the process of upgrading the Trim Trail at Ferguslie Park Sport Centre, adjacent to the Tannahill Centre.

On launching the project, Communities and Sport Minister Stewart Maxwell said: “I am delighted to launch Renfrewshire Green Gym. This is a great initiative, which offers an alternative way of keeping healthy and active, while boosting the local environment and making a positive contribution to the community.” Funded by Braehead, Xscape, Snozone and Fairshare, the Green Gym programme is managed by BTCV, the UK’s leading environmental volunteering charity, in partnership with a number of local organisations including Renfrewshire Council, Sustainable Communities, Renfrewshire Environment Trust and Renfrewshire Community Health Initiative.

The new Renfrewshire Green Gym will offer people of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to improve their fitness by involvement in practical conservation activities such as tree and hedge planting, creating and maintaining community gardens or improving footpaths. BTCV Scotland’s Director, Russell Hampton says, “This new project will give people the opportunity to play an active role in their local area, raise awareness of the value of urban green spaces and help improve individuals’ health and fitness through environmental volunteering. It is also an excellent example of how the private and voluntary sectors can work in partnership to the benefit of communities.”

Peter Badcock, Director of Capital Shopping Centres said, “Braehead, Xscape and Snozone are very much a part of the Renfrewshire community and we are always keen to play an active role. We believe that partnerships, such as the one that we have entered into with BTCV, are the key to cleaner, greener, healthier and safer communities, and we are delighted to be involved in bringing a Green Gym to Renfrewshire”

An initial programme of practical conservation work, for November and December 2007, will see Green Gym volunteers out and about improving wonderful sites such as Jenny’s Well Nature Reserve, Paisley Moss Nature Reserve, Gleniffer Braes, Durrockstock Park and Linwood Community Woodland. And over the next three years of the project local residents and groups will continue to have the opportunity to develop skills in conservation, work to improve local wide variety of local greenspace and, at the same time, improve their health and fitness. So, the Renfrewshire Green Gym really will be good for you and your local environment.

If you are interested in taking part, or would like to find out more, then please get in touch with Ann Nix, Green Gym Co-ordinator on 01505 337238 (email: gg-renfrewshire@btcv.org.uk).

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Get in touch with your wild side...

Tuesday, 2 October 2007

..during Wild Week (22-28 October), in association with BBC’s Breathing Places

Looking forward to watching Autumnwatch but want to experience the real thing? Why not slip off the sofa, get involved and ‘Do One Thing’ for the environment, as part of Wild Week (22-28 October).

To meet the ever-growing interest in wildlife, and to coincide with the BBC’s new landmark series The Nature of Britain, two of the UK’s largest conservation organisations – The Wildlife Trusts and BTCV – have joined forces to organise hundreds of events between 22-28 October.

In association with BBC Breathing Places, The Wildlife Trusts and BTCV are encouraging everyone to get outdoors and get in touch with their ‘wild’ side. Whether it’s foraging for fungi or helping to lay a hedge, there are events aimed at all ages, from family fun days to wildlife identification courses.

Wild Week is ideally timed, as autumn is a great time of year to get outside and enjoy nature. Woodlands are a riot of red and gold, berries are ripening and animals are stocking their larders for winter. Wetlands and rivers are alive with thousands of migrant birds. Before the onset of winter, autumn is the ideal time to try practical conservation work. From creating a pond to laying a path, The Wild Week is the time to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in!

Kevin Jones, BTCV’s Operations Director, said: “This really is a great opportunity to get out and “do one thing” for the environment. All the projects on offer have qualified leaders with all the skills needed to give you a great day out. You don’t need to be super fit to join in, all you need is enthusiasm and a bit of time.”

Julie Fulton, The Wildlife Trusts’ head of people and wildlife, said: “People are realising there’s a wealth of wildlife on their doorstep and, with the help of The Wild Week events, they can find out more about how to help improve their own environment and protect the UK’s wildlife. People are fascinated by wildlife, as demonstrated by the incredible popularity of programmes like Autumnwatch. The Wild Week provides an ideal opportunity for everyone who feels inspired to get involved with nature locally.”

Organised events include:

• Tuesday 23 October – Create an educational garden at Clifton Country Park in Manchester • Friday 26 October – Nut Hunt. Coed Tyddyn Halen, North Wales. • Friday 26 October – Find wildlife using tracking and signs, Fyne Court, Somerset • Saturday 27 October – Gather seeds to establish an informal tree nursery at Mote Park, Kent

As well as The Wildlife Trusts and BTCV, lots of nature and wildlife groups will be hosting organised events. To find a Wild Week event near you log on to the new Breathing Places website: www.breathingplaces.org. A list of Wild Week events is also available at The Wildlife Trusts (www.wildlifetrusts.org) and BTCV (www.btcv.org) websites.

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