What’s on in your community
If you are a friends of group with responsibilities for managing your local parks and green spaces, building strong relationships with your local authority is really important.
My Community have produced this handy leaflet which outlines the key methods and approaches a ‘Friends of’ park group can use when working with a local authority.
Another key point of contact is your local CVS organisation. CVS organisations offer a range of services to support local voluntary and community groups. Connecting with local charities and other community groups is another great way to diversify your community reach and opens up the potential for collaboration. Find out what going on in your community here:
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Wide
- Peterborough City
- Fenland
- Huntingdonshire
- Cambridge City
- South Cambridgeshire
- East Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough wide
Lots of the parks and green spaces in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have park runs, if your interested in volunteering at your local park run, you can find out where your nearest park run is on the website.
If nature is what you are interested in, there are 28 local Nature Reserves in Cambridgeshire, 8 of these are owned by Cambridgeshire County Council and some of which have an existing friend of groups including:
Friends of Somersham Nature Reserve which was formed in 2008, hold volunteer work parties all year round and carry out management activities. Check out the County Council website for more information or the Friends of Somersham Nature Reserve Facebook page.
Friends of Rings End Nature Reserve hold meetings open to everyone with an interest in the nature reserve or the surrounding natural environment. Check out the County Council website for more information or the Friends of Rings End Nature Reserve Facebook page.
Friends of Isleham Nature Reserve run volunteer work parties in the winter to cut back scrub and sections of the hedgerow. Check out the County Council website for more information or the Friends of Isleham Nature Reserve Facebook page.
If you have an interest in nature and are just starting out volunteering, it might be a good idea to contact your nearest Friends of group and get involved with some of the volunteer events on offer. This is a great way to get started, meet new people who have been volunteering in their local community for years. Follow this link for more information on volunteering opportunities with Cambridgeshire County Council.
Support Cambridgeshire
There is a wide variety of ways you can get involved in volunteering, it doesn’t have to be with your local Friends of Group. Support Cambridgeshire is a three-year funded project, funded by Cambridgeshire County Council, aiming to bring together partner organisations to support community groups and organisations. Support Cambridgeshire can offer guidance on:
- Funding and income
- Volunteer and social action
- Voice and representation
- Relationships and connections
- Community assets
The Support Cambridgeshire Website has a wide range of resources available for volunteer and community groups as well as ideas for alternative ways of volunteering if you’re just starting out.
Cambridgeshire ACRE
Cambridgeshire ACRE is the rural community council for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Cambridgeshire ACRE provide encouragement, practical help and support to communities such as:
- Supporting community-run assets
- Championing community-led housing and planning
- Greening your community
- Strengthening the rural economy and employment
- Improving community health and wellbeing
- Working in partnership and providing consultancy
Cambridgeshire ACRE is a membership organisation charging membership fees of £10 per year for individuals; £57 per year for community and voluntary groups; £76 per year for large and statutory organisations.
Living Sport
Living Sport provides support to people and organisations on the ground that delivers, influence, and inspire others to be active. Living sport also offers a number of training courses including safeguarding, first aid, and inclusive activity.
Peterborough City
Peterborough Council for Voluntary Services
Peterborough Council for Voluntary Services [PCVS] supports voluntary groups in Peterborough. They provide expert support to help local charities, community groups and volunteers. PCVS offer advice, information and training, and practical help with office equipment, word-processing, and funding applications. Check out the PCVS website to submit a membership enquiry.
Peterborough Environment City Trust [PECT]
PECT is a charity that promotes sustainable practices to help protect the natural environment. PECT offer a number of flexible volunteering opportunities for those just starting out, looking to try something new and meet new people.
From litter picking, voluntary office roles, tree planting, social media promotion, organising events, fun runs, and fundraising, check out the PECT website for more information about volunteering opportunities.
There are also opportunities for existing volunteer groups in Peterborough to get involved in some of PECTS ongoing projects. For example, you might be interested in becoming BLUEPRINT Champions to promote reducing, reusing, repairing and recycling in your local community.
Or perhaps your community is more interested in planting trees? If you’re a resident community group, local business or school, you can join one of PECT’s volunteer planting days which run through October to March, or help care of newly planted trees during on of their maintenance days through April to September. You can follow this link to find out when their next planting day is.
If you are running an environment event in Peterborough follow this link to tell PECT about your event which may be added to their directory and shared with others.
Cambridgeshire ACRE
Cambridgeshire ACRE is the rural community council for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Cambridgeshire ACRE provide encouragement, practical help and support to communities such as:
- Supporting community-run assets
- Championing community-led housing and planning
- Greening your community
- Strengthening the rural economy and employment
- Improving community health and wellbeing
- Working in partnership and providing consultancy
Cambridgeshire ACRE is a membership organisation charging membership fees of £10 per year for individuals; £57 per year for community and voluntary groups; £76 per year for large and statutory organisations.
Living Sport
Living Sport provides support to people and organisations on the ground that delivers, influence, and inspire others to be active. Living sport also offers a number of training courses including safeguarding, first aid, and inclusive activity.
Fenland
Fenland Street Pride enables volunteer and community groups to hold clean up events and get involved in environmental enhancement projects. You can find your local street pride, in bloom or friends of group on the Fenland District Council website, or for more information on how to start your own group, contact the Street Pride Co-ordinator at streetpride@fenland.gov.uk.
If you’re more interested in volunteering opportunities in your local nature reserve, Ring’s End Local Nature Reserve is an old railway line which is has now been reclaimed by nature with a wide range of habitats ponds, reedbeds, grasslands and scrub. The nature reserve is home to some less common wildflowers and many butterfly’s, invertebrates, reptiles and birds. The Friends of Rings End Nature Reserve run various events throughout the year.
Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service
The Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service (CCVS) is an independent charity providing a central source of expert help and advice for volunteer and community groups in Cambridge, South Cambridgeshire and Fenland. CCVS have produced a number of open access guides and factsheets and case studies available on their website. They also provide training, one to one consultancy support, and advice to member community and voluntary groups.
Membership is £30 for groups with an annual income of less than £50,000 and £60 for groups with an annual income of over £50,001.
Find out more information about the training and events offered by CCVS.
Huntingdonshire
There are a variety of volunteer opportunities available for residents in Huntingdonshire District Council. You can volunteer to be a health walk leader, or help delivery sports and activities sessions.
You can also volunteer at one of Huntingdonshire’s countryside sites. Volunteers can get involved in practical conservation work, wildlife surveys, events, environmental education, or helping out at visitor centres or cafes. Huntingdonshire District Council hold regular work parties (frequency can change depending on the site and time of year) at their countryside sites where volunteer can help with outdoor practical tasks. Volunteer’s at Hinchingbrooke Country Park can also help lead nature activities such as pond dipping and den building and can get involved with wildlife surveys.
Or you can volunteer at Paxton Pits Nature Reserve, a Special Site of Scientific Interest for its water birds. Get involved by contacting the council or the Friends of Paxton Pits who run monthly work parities through the winter months and regular outdoor and indoor events such as guided walks and fund raisers. You can also join the Wildlife and Survey Monitoring Group. Find out more information about Friends of Paxton Pits here.
There are also opportunities to volunteer at Holt Island Nature Reserve. You can join monthly work parties to help rangers with reed bed management, boardwalk maintenance and vegetation clearance, you can also help run pond dipped and bird watching activities or get involved with wildlife surveys or fundraising.
Friends of Somersham Nature Reserve hold volunteer work parties all year round and carry out management activities. Check out Cambridgeshire County Council’s website for more information or the Friends of Somersham Nature Reserve Facebook page.
Check out the Huntingdonshire District Council website for more information on opportunities available in the districts countryside sites, including guided walks, family fun days, craft workshops and open-air cinemas.
Hunts Forum
Hunts Forum of Voluntary Organisations is an independent, non-profit, registered charity based in Huntingdon. They aim to strengthen and champion social action across Cambridgeshire through an effective, sustainable local voluntary and community sector, helping volunteer and community groups make the biggest difference they can.
Hunts forum offer one-to-one support and advice, training and networking opportunities. Membership is £25 per year. On the Hunts Forum Website, you can find out more information about their training and networking events, find funding opportunities as well as guidance and support, and one to one support.
Huntingdonshire Volunteer Centre
Huntingdonshire Volunteer Centre works to recruit volunteers in Huntingdon, Ramset, St Ives, and St Neots, matching personal skills and interests with volunteer opportunities and promoting the benefits that volunteering brings to individuals and charities across Huntingdonshire.
Cambridge City
You can earn time credits by joining your local litter picking group in Cambridge City, or organise you own litter picking event with the support of Cambridge City Council who will also provide a ‘little pick pack’ with lots of useful information on planning and promoting you own litter pick.
If you interested in volunteering to improve local green spaces, nature reserves, renovating public benches, removing graffiti or promoting community clean up days you can apply to become a streets and open space volunteer with Cambridge City Council. You’ll be provided with equipment, training and guidance and receive a list of planned volunteer events and activities every month.
To see the full range of volunteering opportunities on offer, check out the Cambridge City Council website.
Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service
The Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service (CCVS) is an independent charity providing a central source of expert help and advice for volunteer and community groups in Cambridge, South Cambridgeshire and Fenland. CCVS have produced a number of open access guides and factsheets and case studies available on their website. They also provide training, one to one consultancy support, and advice to member community and voluntary groups.
Membership is £30 for groups with an annual income of less than £50,000 and £60 for groups with an annual income of over £50,001.
Find out more information about the training and events offered by CCVS.
South Cambridgeshire
If you’re interested in volunteering in your local park or green space, do get in touch with your local parish council who will be able to advise on what opportunities are available to you.
South Cambridgeshire District Council have a Zero Carbon Communities Newsletter which provides quarterly updates on green initiatives and news, and details on environment-related events.
There are volunteering opportunities available with Magog Down Trust ranging from desk based support to practical, hands-on work as on of their conservation volunteers. You can join regular work parties in Magog Down on the first Wednesday of every month, or signup to their email list to receive updates on the latest volunteer opportunities.
There are also opportunities to get involved in the Orchard Park Wildlife Project which aims to enhance Orchard Park’s wildlife through community action. Perhaps you’d like to get involved in their community activities, look after the parks natural habitats, or try some citizen science? You can find out more information on the Orchard Park Wildlife Project website.
If you live close to The Old West River, there are lots of opportunities to get involved with the New Life on the Old West habitat enhancement programme. New Life on the Old West offers a wide range of volunteering opportunities for every age and commitment level. New Life on the Old West provide training and support for their volunteers including a range of open access resources. Lots of their opportunities and events are posted on their Facebook page and on their website. If you are interested in improving your nature know how then New Life on the Old West also offer a range of online and in person training events on their website.
For those local to Histon and Impington, you can become and Enviro Volunteer, no prior experience is required and you can do as much or as little can you can on working parties that you choose. If you’re interested in taking part in local conservation and environmental activities, you can check out upcoming working parties dates on the Histon and Impington Enviro Volunteers website or sign up to their mailing list.
South Cambridgeshire District Council run an annual Zero Carbon Communities Grant Scheme where communities can apply for up to £15,000 of funding for project which reduce carbon emissions and engage communities on climate change.
Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service
The Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service (CCVS) is an independent charity providing a central source of expert help and advice for volunteer and community groups in Cambridge, South Cambridgeshire and Fenland. CCVS have produced a number of open access guides and factsheets and case studies available on their website. They also provide training, one to one consultancy support, and advice to member community and voluntary groups.
Membership is £30 for groups with an annual income of less than £50,000 and £60 for groups with an annual income of over £50,001.
Find out more information about the training and events offered by CCVS.
East Cambridgeshire
Friends of Isleham Nature Reserve run volunteer work parties in the winter to cut back scrub and sections of the hedgerow. Check out Cambridgeshire County Council’s website for more information or the Friends of Isleham Nature Reserve Facebook page.
East Cambridgeshire District Council is part of the Tree Council’s national Tree Warden Scheme which enables nominated volunteers to help conserve and enhance local trees and woodlands in their parish. Check out the East Cambridgeshire Council website to find out how to get involved. You can access a list of volunteer opportunities with East Cambridgeshire District Council on their website.
If you are a local volunteer or community groups in East Cambridgeshire, you can access Safeguarding advice for volunteers. East Cambridgeshire District Council can also help answer any questions you might have regarding COVID-19 and volunteering.
Voluntary and Community Action East Cambridgeshire
Voluntary and Community Action East Cambridgeshire can help match people with local volunteer opportunities. The membership organisation also supports and promote good volunteering practice, campaigns on issues which affects volunteers. Check our their website for more information.
