CPRE Hampshire, the countryside charity, works to promote, enhance, and protect Hampshire’s thriving countryside for all to enjoy. They are passionate about the local countryside and believe in positive, sustainable action, to help more people access the countryside’s benefits and plan new building with the countryside and local communities in mind.
CPRE’s Hampshire Hedge project centres around the connecting up of existing, planting new and rejuvenating of old hedgerow in Hampshire over the next 3 years, connecting up the New Forest and the South Downs National Parks. This will provide connectivity and increased habitat for wildlife, as well the many benefits to farming and ecosystem services that we all benefit from. The project hopes to enhance the quality of the landscape, grow local community engagement, and raise awareness of the importance of hedgerows for wildlife, climate, and sustainable farming. This national campaign was launched in 2021 to extend the UK hedgerows network by 40% by 2050.
Hedgerow Creation took the interest of Cally, who, whilst having no formal qualifications in conservation work, had been doing monthly volunteer work parties with her local wildlife trust for the last 4 years. She was due to retire from working as a nurse in the NHS, and wanted to increase the time she spent doing this type of work. She was particularly keen to develop new skills and knowledge about hedgerows and the important part they play in our ecosystem. She loved nature, butterflies, wildflowers and just being outdoors and so was eager to play a part in safeguarding our natural environment for future generations. We asked her about her experience:
“After recently retiring from working in the NHS for many years, I wanted to make sure that I used my newfound free time well. One great option for me has been to increase the time I spend volunteering. I had a number of different interests that I wanted to explore more. The Volunteer First website proved to be an excellent resource and helped me to learn about potential volunteer roles that were available in my local area. I was impressed with the diverse range of volunteering opportunities available and the information given in relation to each role was very useful. The application process was easy, and I got a response back from the organisation I had chosen to volunteer with within a few days.”
“I have been volunteering with them now for the last month and love the work that I am doing with them. Not only has it given me a sense of purpose, but I have also met lots of new and interesting people , learned new skills and become part of an organisation that reflects my interests and passion for conservation. I would thoroughly recommend others to volunteer if they have the time to do so and would encourage them to use the Volunteer First website to help them choose a role that would suit their own individual interests and values.”