Volunteer with us
Search for live volunteering opportunities, or register your interest with Formby
Volunteering at Formby
We're so grateful to everyone who volunteers to help keep Formby special for people and wildlife. We're a small team with a big task: caring for a mosaic of habitats that covers an area roughly the size of 800 football pitches and all the wonderful wildlife that lives here too. Find out how you can get involved with volunteering at Formby.
Formby beach car park closed for major conservation project
Victoria Road car park closed until spring 2026 for conservation work - no pedestrian access through the work site. Please don’t travel to us by car on sunny days. Get the train to Formby station or visit alternative beaches along the Sefton and Wirral Coast. Thanks for your understanding whilst we enhance this special space.
Getting involved
We rely on the support of volunteers to support our team with important conservation and maintenance work at Formby. You can find out about any new volunteering opportunities by clicking on the "Volunteer with us" banner below and searching for Formby.
Regular volunteer groups
Our regular volunteer groups support the team on a set day every week. They focus their efforts on specific projects, which helps bring a real sense of achievement. Our regular volunteer groups are very popular and full for now but example projects include:
• Caring for Formby's woodlands
• Restoring rare dune heath habitats at Larkhill through tasks such as invasive scrub removal
• Rejuvenating the popular Wicks Lake area
• Helping maintain infrastructure and facilities including fences, pathways and the boardwalk
Seasonal volunteering roles
There are many different types of volunteering opportunities, but seasonal roles help support the facilities and visitor welcome team during busy holiday periods. This may include anything from litter picking to welcoming people who love to visit.
Merseyside NT Environmental Volunteers
The Merseyside National Trust Environmental Volunteers are an outdoor conservation group that help with practical conservation work at properties in the North West. There are tasks for all levels of fitness: you could be clearing scrub, maintaining woodland, repairing fences or footpaths, conserving sand dunes or planting trees and hedges.
For more details about this group please visit the Merseyside volunteers page or contact us by email.
Manchester National Trust Volunteers
The Manchester National Trust Volunteers are an outdoor conservation group that help with practical conservation work at properties in the North West. Have a look at the Manchester National Trust Volunteers page for inspiration and information.
Local community volunteer litter picking groups
We're so grateful to everyone who helps keep Formby special by giving their time to clear litter left behind. You can get involved by supporting a local community volunteer litter picking group.
- Formby and Freshfield Beach Litter Angels - for details of upcoming events join their Facebook page or email beachlitterangels@gmail.com
- Marine Conservation Society Formby - for details of upcoming events join their Facebook page or email greatbritishbeachcleanformby@yahoo.co.uk
Corporate Litter picks
A group litter pick with your colleagues can be great for team building and an opportunity to get outdoors and connect with nature. You'll also be helping to protect NT Formby's precious wildlife. To find out more about organising a corporate litter pick please email formby@nationaltrust.org.uk
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.
Making a difference together
In 2024 volunteers gave a total of 9,043 hours of their time to support us. Here's a round-up of just some of the work our regular volunteer groups helped us to achieve last year:
- 700m of broken/damaged fencing removed
- 60m of damaged boardwalk/bridge planks replaced
- 4 gates repaired/replaced
- Around 100 hours of balsam pulling
- Nearly 2 hectares of scrub removed
- 7 natterjack pools scraped back to bare sand
- 300m of fencing constructed
- 425 trees planted
- 50m of revetment fencing built
- 200m of dead hedge constructed
- Over 100m of footpath resurfaced
- 22 benches installed/repaired/resurfaced
- Kirklake Play Trail built
- Welcomed over 1 million visitors
- Over 100 buckets of common toad spawn translocated
Thank you
Thank you to all our volunteers who give their time to support the National Trust in many different roles.
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