Volunteer
Volunteering in Greenwood couldn't be easier and there is a whole range of activities to take part in all year round. Whatever your interest, or time available, there are lots of practical ways you can get involved. Contact the team to give it a go.
Practical conservation
Becoming a practical conservation volunteer is fun! Get out into the fresh air and take part in one of the weekly practical tasks. Tasks can range from woodland conservation and hedge laying in winter to grassland and heathland management in summer - but be prepared for anything!
It might just be the new adventure you are looking for - it's free, keeps you fit into the bargain and it's a great way to meet new people and make new friends.
There are lots of groups right on your doorstep who are keen to welcome you and there's also free training available and a host of other benefits. So go on - have a go - you might just enjoy it! Contact us for current environmental volunteering opportunities.
Join a Friends Group
Have you ever thought about joining a Friends group in your area. Friends groups are made up of local people who are enthusiastic about their local green space or park. These individuals have organised themselves into a formal group to give them a say about their local area. Some groups hold walks and events and conduct surveys as well as litter picking and taking part in practical tasks. Others might volunteer in the visitor centre, organise publicity, fundraise or simply keep a watchful eye on the park.
If there isn’t a Friends group near you – why not start one. Download our Greenwood Community Woodland Handbook which has some useful information even though some of the contact details may be out of date or you can get in touch with the team to find out more.
Friends of Greenwood Community Forum
The Greenwood Community Forest Team support Friends groups in many ways. We have experience of setting up Friends groups and can help keep that initial enthusiasm going. Once constituted, we urge newly constituted groups to join the Friends of Greenwood Community Forum to meet members of more established groups. The Forum is a network of Friends groups in the Greenwood area who meet up to four times a year, to:
- Gather and disseminate information by sharing experience and best practice
- Provide a Forum for discussion, acting as a sounding board
- Provide a valuable pool of skills, knowledge and experience, both to support individual Friends groups and also for input into the Community Forest programme
- Help support the development of new and existing groups through mentoring and advice. The Forum meets at a different Friends group’s site each time, and the host group leads a walk after lunch. This is usually a great way to share knowledge and discuss similar experiences encountered in the development and management of sites.
Find the Friends of Greenwood on facebook or click on their leaflet or see our map of Friends groups in your area.
Greenwood Community Awards are back
The Greenwood Partnership has held an annual celebration
event since 2002,
to thank volunteers for all their contributions. Swancar Farm in Trowell was the venue for the
last Awards BBQ in 2019, then the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, and the
celebrations were halted. They came back
with a bang in 2025 with a fantastic event at the beautiful Pumping House in
Ollerton in September 2025 and the celebration will now be a biennial event.
Individuals recognised by their peers as making an outstanding contribution towards creating, or encouraging people to use the Greenwood Community Forest were presented with an awards by NCC Chair Cllr Jan Goold and our Greenwood Champion, Cllr James Gamble. Our guest speaker was the inspiring Jack Baddams from Springwatch who enthralled us with "behind the scenes” stories and images. There were recognition awards for Colin Barson, a long standing and very active member of the Forum from the start, who sadly died earlier this year and Gill Grievson, Greenwood’s previous Community Liaison officer, who retired last year. The great work continues every day, and we will continue to celebrate achievements on here and our social media.
