'When people ask me why I started volunteering for the National Trust, it is always easy to answer - the people, the experience, and most importantly being outside 95 per cent of the time.
As a volunteer no day is ever the same. From erecting a fence on the coast to carrying out vital conservation work in the countryside, I never thought that the experience would be so varied and hands-on.
I began volunteering whilst I was studying for my degree. My first taste of volunteering was at Morte, Devon with the estate team for four weeks. I guess you could say I caught the volunteering bug as I went on to volunteer on Anglesey, Wales with the coastal wardens, whilst working part-time and then with the countryside estate team at Lanhydrock, Cornwall.
After volunteering I realised how much the experience had given me, not only vital licenses and training for machinery, but also skills for working outside and with a variety of people. After volunteering I applied for a full-time post with the Giants Causeway coast team in Northern Ireland and have been working there ever since.
My advice for anyone thinking of volunteering is to get out there and do it. What have you got to lose?'
Toby Edwards, Coastal Warden, Giants Causeway, Northern Ireland
Seasons and Work
Whilst volunteering at Lanhydrock, Cornwall, Toby filmed his experience for others to get a feel for what it is like to be a volunteer and to see the work that they do on a daily basis.
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