NEW volunteering roles are being made available by the National Trust at its landmark sites across the West Somerset and Wellington areas.

The trust volunteering team has a diverse range of roles in the Somerset countryside, ranging from the Holnicote Estate, in Exmoor National Park, which this year is marking the 80th anniversary of its being given to the nation, to Wellington Monument, built to commemorate the Duke of Wellington’s 1815 victory over Napoleon at Waterloo.

The nation’s conservation charity looks after many much-loved beauty spots across the county, and is looking for some extra pairs of hands to help care for them and welcome visitors. 

Volunteers are needed by the National Trust to lead tours of Wellington Monument, on the Blackdown Hills.
Volunteers are needed by the National Trust to lead tours of Wellington Monument, on the Blackdown Hills. (National Trust Images)

A pop-up shop will be manned in Wellington town centre on February 22 to 24 for anybody who may be interested in leading tours of Wellington Monument.

People can drop in any time between 10 am and 4 pm daily to find out more about volunteering with the tallest three-sided obelisk in the world.

Volunteer recruitment days will also be held in the Music Hall, at Fyne Court, on the Quantock Hills, on March 1 and 2, when visitors can drop in and learn how they can become involved in anything from gardening to events on the 90-acre estate. 

Other volunteering roles across Somerset include helping in the tree nursery on the Holnicote Estate, near Minehead, butterfly surveying on the Mendip Hills, and as bookshop assistants at Brean Down. 

Local school children crushing and planting apple seeds for future apple orchard in their school grounds at Holnicote Estate's tree nursery, Somerset volunteering
A volunteer helps with a school visit to the Holnicote Estate tree nursery, on Exmoor. (National Trust Images/Trevor Ray Hart)

Trust Somerset volunteering and community manager Jess Midgley said: “Our places across the Somerset countryside offer some brilliant opportunities for volunteering from assisting our rangers with their nature conservation projects to welcoming visitors to our events.

“It is also a great way of learning different skills and making new friends.

“Come along to one of our volunteer recruitment days or get in touch with us to find out more.”

All of the National Trust’s volunteering opportunities in Somerset can be found online here, or by emailing the team at [email protected].

Nationally, the trust cares for more than 620,000 acres of countryside, 780 miles of coastline, a million collection items, and 500 historic properties, gardens, and nature reserves.