Volunteering at Dunstable Downs

Volunteer ranger hedgelaying at Kingston Lacy, Dorset — Volunteer ranger hedgelaying | © National Trust Images/Clive Whitbourn

We couldn’t do what we do without the help of volunteers at Dunstable Downs and offer a wide range of volunteering opportunities. Whatever your skills or interests, there’s a role that you can take on. Here’s a taster of the types of roles available and how you can help.

Why join us?

There are lots of reasons to join us; making the move to volunteer could be the best decision you ever make.

Become part of a friendly and dedicated team
Meet people from all walks of life and forge new friendships
Utilise your existing skills and learn new ones
Strengthen your CV and help to develop your career
Enjoy the great outdoors
Learn about the history of this special place.

Join our team

We're a friendly and dedicated team and look forward to welcoming you. Here's a selection of the roles on offer:

Visitor experience volunteer

Being part of our visitor experience team you will join a community of people who enjoy, protect and want to learn more about Dunstable Downs and the stories it holds.

Our volunteers are central to creating the brilliant experience that visitors have at Dunstable Downs. Join the team in offering a warm welcome to every visitor, sharing stories that intrigue and inspire.

Visitors at Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade Estate, Bedfordshire — Visitors at Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade Estate | © National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

Volunteer shop assistant

Do you love working with people? Join Dunstable Downs retail team to provide excellent service, welcome every visitor and offer help and advice with their purchases.

You’ll be helping to raise funds that will directly support Dunstable Downs by working with the retail team to create a great shopping experience for visitors.

Volunteering with the countryside team

We look after over 1,000 acres across 10 sites, in Bedfordshire and Potters Bar. Volunteers play a vital role in the practical work: carrying out habitat management tasks to help maintain the rare chalk grassland and contributing to the upkeep of the sites’ car parks, footpaths and amenity grassland.

The rangers and volunteers do a huge amount between September and March to manage scrub that threatens to encroach on the grassland habitat, and cut the chalk grassland we are unable to graze.

Outside of cutting season, tasks include control of invasive species, car park strims, footpath clearance and work at the Tree Cathedral Jubilee Orchard.

Tree planting on tenant farmland at Lodge Park, Gloucestershire — Tree planting on farmland | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Litter-picking volunteers

With 1,000 acres to look after, we often struggle to keep all of our sites litter-free week to week.

Although we currently have volunteers litter-picking around Dunstable Downs, we're looking for people to help keep the car parks and countryside tidy at Sharpenhoe Clappers, Sundon Hills Country Park and Totternhoe Knolls.