Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT) is looking for volunteers to lend a helping hand with school children visiting its education centres at Woods Mill (Henfield) and Seven Sisters Country Park (near Seaford) as well as with the Trust’s Outreach service which works in schools around the county.

If you like working with children and are keen to share your enjoyment of the countryside with others then why not consider joining the team.

Regular commitment is appreciated, but this could be as little as one day each fortnight or as often as four days a week between March and July. You don’t have to be an expert but some knowledge or an interest in wildlife is useful. However, you do need to enjoy being outside, as most of your time will be spent out-of-doors on the nature reserve.

Up to 70 pupils from the same school can visit Woods Mill with the numbers rising to 100 pupils at Seven Sisters Country Park. During the day, the children are divided into groups for different activities – all based around the national curriculum but with strong wildlife themes.

One of the most popular activities is pond dipping where, under supervision, youngsters are encouraged to dip their nets to reveal newts, water snails, mayfly nymphs and other pond creatures. At Seven Sisters Country Park there is the opportunity for rock pooling - also a firm favourite with youngsters of all ages. With the Outreach service the Trust takes its brand of environmental education direct into schools and works with pupils in their school grounds.

Half day training sessions are held on Thursday 14th February at Woods Mill or Wednesday 20th February at Seven Sisters, subject to an informal interview and successful CRB & reference checks. As a volunteer you would be trained to assist or, if you wished, to eventually lead a group of school children.

If you are interested and would like some further information please contact SWT People & Wildlife Officer –
email: anna-mariekyriacou@sussexwt.org.uk or telephone 01273 497562.

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