Volunteering With Us
NORTH WEST KENT COUNTRYSIDE PARTNERSHIP
NWKCP simply could not continue without the support of our amazing, multi-award-winning volunteer team, some of whom have been volunteering with us for over twenty years! The team has a great feeling of camaraderie and nothing beats the feeling of working outdoors and having fun.
Our volunteering teams, go out on Wednesdays and Thursdays and meet us at Hall Place in Bexley between 9:00 and 9:30 or can go directly to the site. A typical day usually finishes around 16:00 and plenty of breaks, drinks and biscuits are supplied. All you will need to bring are suitable clothes for the weather conditions and a packed lunch. All tools and equipment such as gloves and steel toe capped boots will be provided and any training in tool use will be given.
We work in Bexley, Dartford, Sevenoaks and Gravesham on a huge variety of projects which include path clearance, coppicing, creating nature areas in schools, hedge laying, restoring river banks using traditional techniques and many more.
If you are keen to keep fit, connect with nature, make new friends and improve spaces for both wildlife and people then why not join us and become one of our invaluable volunteers?
If you think you would be interested in joining us then please contact Stephanie Johnson at: Stephanie.Johnson@kent.gov.uk
If you are under 18 and interested in volunteering or thinking of work experience please follow the link to find out more: Work Experience and Under 18s Volunteering
Please find below a copy of this month’s volunteering tasks:
Volunteer Project Programme – March 2023
Reminder: Please let the staff member leading the task know if you plan to attend so they can bring enough tools on the day.
Wednesday 1st – White Hill Reserve, White Hill, Fackenden Lane, Shoreham, Sevenoaks. Nearest post code: TN14 7RR
We will be managing the (SSSI) chalk downland of White Hill Reserve by strimming and raking the arisings from the meadow. This site has key butterfly breeding sites.
Led by: Reece Evans (mobile 07986737712)
Meeting Time and Place: 10am and parking is available on Station Rd, Shoreham, Sevenoaks TN14 7SA
Thursday 2nd – Preventing Plastic Pollution (PPP) Project Thames Foreshore (Higham to Gravesham)
This will be our last chance for now to visit the RSPB reserve on the marshes at Higham to enjoy the bird life. We will be conducting a litter pick and survey along the site as part of the PPP project. Wellies/waders maybe required as the muddy foreshore maybe soft.
Let Mark know your wellie/wader size and if you need a lift prior to the 28th of February.
Led by: Mark Gallant (07740 185228)
Meeting Time and Place: Meet at 9am at the yard in Hall Place (we will be leaving as soon as the vehicle is loaded). If meeting us on site, there is free parking available at the end of Canal Road, Rochester, ME3 7JA (near the Little Peckers Sandwich Bar – see map). Please meet in the Canal Road car park at 10am. If arriving late on site, the public footpath leading to the area where we will be working is located opposite the car park (to the right of the cottage), follow the path until you reach the river wall and turn right, walk along the sea wall until you find us.
What3words: Parking area: ///mole.arena.plants
Work area: ///ears.hooked.surely
Friday 3rd – Barn Owl Box Installation TBC
Please email Lucy at: Lucy.Sawyer-Boyd@kent.gov.uk if you would like more details about how to get involved in this project.
Wednesday 8th – The Enchanted Woodland, Cornwall Road, Dartford, DA1 5QE
We will be doing the spring cut of the meadow and raking up the arisings. Brushcutter operators needed.
Led by: Reece Evans (mobile 07986737712)
Meeting Time and Place: 10am, meet outside the entrance (by residential car park) at the end of Cornwall Road. There is limited parking and a toilet on site.
What3words ///dreams.trio.path
https://goo.gl/maps/NJvY5dzTfoH7yevz5
Thursday 9th – The Enchanted Woodland, Cornwall Road, Dartford, DA1 5QE
We will be doing the spring cut of the meadow and raking up the arisings. Brushcutter operators needed.
Led by: Lucy Sawyer-Boyd (07809334071)
Meeting Time and Place: 10am, meet outside the entrance (by residential car park) at the end of Cornwall Road. There is limited parking and a toilet on site.
What3words ///dreams.trio.path
https://goo.gl/maps/NJvY5dzTfoH7yevz5
Wednesday 15th – Preventing Plastic Pollution (PPP) Project Farningham to Horton Kirby
This will be the last PPP project task and will be delivered in partnership with volunteers from Farningham Parish Council and Eynsford. We will be conducting a litter pick and survey along the River Darent.
Let Mark know your wader size and if you need a lift prior to the 15th of March.
Led by: Mark Gallant (07740 185228)
Meeting Time and Place: Meet in the yard at Hall Place at 9am. If you wish to meet us on site at 10am meet in the car park of Farningham Village Hall, High Street, Farningham (Farningham Village Hall is located on the opposite side of the river from the Lion Hotel). Parking here is limited but there are also parking spaces in the High Street.
What3words ///times.plenty.teams
Thursday 16th – White Hill Reserve, White Hill, Fackenden Lane, Shoreham, Sevenoaks. Nearest post code: TN14 7RR
We will be managing the (SSSI) chalk downland of White Hill Reserve by strimming and raking the arisings from the meadow. This site has key butterfly breeding sites.
Led by: Reece Evans (mobile 07986737712)
Meeting Time and Place: 10am and parking is available on Station Rd, Shoreham, Sevenoaks TN14 7SA
Wednesday 22nd – Platinum Way, St Mary’s Platt, Sevenoaks, TN15 8FH
We will be doing scrub management for reptiles on site. Brushcutter operators needed.
Led by: Lucy Sawyer-Boyd (07809334071)
Meeting Time and Place: 10am, memorial hall car park (parking available at the Platt memorial hall car park)
What3words: Meeting point: ///vital.star.late
Parking: ///miles.shiny.linen
https://goo.gl/maps/Xe2hN5BVraciSdB47
Thursday 23rd – Leybourne Country Park, Malling Road, Larkfield, ME20 6AA
We will be conducting maintenance of the low flow channel in Leybourne Stream in partnership with the rangers at Leybourne Country Park.
Let Mark know your wader size and if you need a lift prior to the 23rd of March.
Led by: Mark Gallant (07740 185228)
Meeting Time and Place: Meet in the yard at Hall Place at 9am. If you wish to meet us on site at 10:15am please meet in the car park of Leybourne Country Park. Please note that the car park at Leybourne is pay and display – in order to receive FREE parking you will need to give the rangers your car registration number.
What3words: ///digests.ultra.decorate
Just a quick reminder that any volunteers who plan to meet us on site should let the member of staff leading the task know as soon as possible so that they can pack the correct number of tools and inform them of any task changes/delays that may occur.
If there are any updates or changes with the programme, we will update it regularly on the volunteer page on our website (www.nwkcp.org ). We will also contact the regular volunteers by phone if any last-minute changes to the location of the task happen.
Please remember to bring with you; suitable clothes for the weather conditions, a packed lunch and suitable footwear (we insist working boots with steel toecap and mid sole are worn at all times to comply with health and safety and insurance considerations). We will supply all other equipment, gloves and safety equipment and also hot drinks and biscuits throughout the day.
Each project will be led by a NWKCP member of staff who will be more than happy to answer any questions that you have throughout the day. A health and safety talk will also be given at the beginning of each project. If you are planning to come out on a project for the first time this month then please let us know beforehand which day that will be.
We write a risk assessment for each task day, and a copy of this will be brought to the site and available for you to read if you wish.
