On International Volunteers Day we are celebrating those who work hard for their communities and look after their local areas to help the environment without asking for anything in return.
Two volunteering groups have shared their experience, talking about the rewards of their work and current projects that residents can join.
The Margrove Wild Workshops is a project run by Tees Valley Wildlife Trust and funded by Prince’s Countryside Fund. It engages with local isolated rural villages to get residents involved in various activities within the workshop, greenhouse, and garden from the Margrove Heritage Centre. A small community group of different ages and backgrounds was created where people can socialise.
The volunteers make bird boxes to support nature recovery, out of timber the Trust recovers from nature reserves. Their work centres around making a positive difference to wildlife and supporting biodiversity which is the variety of plant and animal life on earth.
Mat Dove-Jones, Life Skills Manager at Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, said: “Volunteers come with all sorts of skills and life experiences. It’s been fantastic for me to learn from all of them. They have so much knowledge and I think it’s nice for them to be able to share it with others and learn something new at the same time.”
Marske Litter Action are a group of local people who work predominantly on the beach to keep Marske litter free.
Apart from organising periodic beach litter picking, they have also been involved in several projects around waste and plastics pollution, working with Northumbrian Water over the past two years to reduce the amount of waste that escapes the sewage system during heavy rainfall, polluting the beach.
They also work on removing small fragments of plastic, known as microplastics, from the beach. When plastics are discarded, they get into waterways, where they can harm wildlife. When plastics break down, they release harmful chemicals, that can enter the food chain and may damage people’s health.
Carolyn Granthier, the founder of the group, said: “I started Marske litter Action because I kept seeing rubbish on the beach while walking my dog and it was very frustrating. Doing something practical about this situation has made a massive difference to me. There are some amazing people living in Marske, willing to put a pair of gloves on and pick up other people’s rubbish.”
Cllr Barry Hunt, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Housing said: “Redcar and Cleveland would not be the same without its volunteers, their passion and perseverance. We are grateful for their dedication and the massive change they are making to the community, nature and environment.”
Cllr Louise Westbury, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Culture, said: “Nature recovery, biodiversity and plastic reduction are vital parts of taking action against climate change and the amazing work done by these volunteers is bringing us closer to a greener future. I am glad that these activities are as rewarding for them as they are for the local communities.”
Further information on volunteering opportunities with Tees Valley Wildlife Trust can be found by visiting www.teeswildlife.org/how-you-can-help/volunteer/, or you can call 01287 636382, or email volunteering@teeswildlife.org. If you would like to join Marske Litter Action group, please visit their Facebook page, or email marskelitteraction@hotmail.com. Residents can also request to borrow litter pickers, buckets and bags through the group’s scheme.