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Get Involved: Volunteer in our parks
Our volunteer activities include:
- fundraising for park facilities and play equipment
- wildlife conservation projects and surveys
- landscaping work alongside our staff
- horticulture projects, such as working in our rose gardens
- picking up litter
- holding fun days and events
- giving guided walks and talks
How you can benefit from volunteering
It can help you:
- gain new skills and experience to improve your employment prospects
- meet new friends and be part of a community
- improve your physical and mental wellbeing
How to volunteer
Volunteer with your local Friends of Park group
Friends of Park Groups help improve parks and green spaces and create opportunities for members to learn new skills.
There are Friends of Park Groups all around the city. Each has specific activities and regular meetings.
The Bristol Parks Forum has a list of the groups you can join with links to their Facebook pages and Twitter feeds.
Our Set up and run a Friends of Park Group page has information about starting your own group and documents to help you run activities safely and successfully.
Volunteer on one of our Estates
You can volunteer to work alongside our Rangers and Gardeners in three of our largest green spaces. They run a seasonal programme of volunteering throughout the year.
Fill in the form if you'd like to volunteer in either Ashton Court, Blaise or Stoke Park estate.
Fill in our form if you'd like to be a volunteer or if you want us to contact you when we have new activities.
Apply for volunteering work in our parks
We'll aim to get back to you within 10 working days.
Ashton Court
The Ashton Court Estate has 850 acres of woods and grasslands. It's about 1.2 miles from the city centre.
Activities:
Conservation Group with the Rangers
- Time and dates: 10am to 12pm every Thursday
- Activities: Learn about maintaining Ashton Court and improve the Estate for people and wildlife
We are currently not accepting any new volunteers. Please email parkvolunteers@bristol.gov.uk to be notified of when this opportunity will be open again.
Gardening Group with Ashton Court gardening team
- Time and dates: 10.30am to 12.30pm, Tuesday and Thursday
- Activies: Tend the rose and vegetable beds and other tasks in the Mansion gardens
Blaise Estate
Blaise Castle Estate is a 650 acre parkland open to the public near Henbury, about 6 miles from the city centre.
Activities:
Estate management group with the Rangers
- Time and dates: Weekly on Wednesdays, 10.30am to 12.30pm
- Activities: Learn about maintaining and improving Blaise Estate. Rebuild steps, clear paths and help manage invasive species
- Meet up location: By the café
- What to bring: We provide tools and gardening gloves, but you are welcome to bring your own
- What to wear:
- Sturdy, waterproof footwear like walking boots are best but old trainers or wellies should be fine
- Wear long sleeves tops, and you may need waterproofs too
Stoke Park
Stoke Park Estate is a 270 acre park open to the public.
Activities:
Conservation and Estate Management Group with the Ranger
- Time and dates: Every Thursday, 10am to 12.30pm, and the first Saturday of the month, 10am to 12.30pm
- Activites: Learn how to manage Stoke Park and make improvements to the site for people and nature
Visit Stoke Park and Stoke Park Community Group to find out more.
Your Park Bristol and Bath
Bristol Parks work closely with the charitable foundation Your Park to improve our cities, parks and green spaces for health, wellbeing, and nature.
South Bristol practical work programme:
To join work parties with volunteers and groups in 9 parks in South Bristol contact Rachel: rachel@yourpark.org.uk.
Group work parties are held in:
- Cottle Road Green Space
- Dundry Slopes
- Hartcliffe Millennium Green
- Hawkfield Meadow
- Hengrove Mounds
- Northern Slopes
- Stockwood Open Space
- Withywood Park
- Willmott Park.
Find out more on bringing Bristol's parks to life on Your Park website.
Volunteer with the nature nurture group across Bristol with the Roving Ranger
Help care for Bristol's green spaces with seasonal outdoor activities:
- Cut back brambles along woodland edges and grasslands
- Clear litter from paths and streams
- Learn new skills like scything grass and pruning fruit trees
- Repair paths and steps to protect woodland flowers
- Observe and discover local wildlife and habitats
No experience needed and all fitness levels are welcome.
When and where
There are two groups in Bristol you can join.
1: South/East Bristol
Time and day: 10am to 3pm, Wednesdays
Locations:
- Callington Road Local Nature Reserve
- Coombe Brook Valley
- Eastwood Farm
- Sturminster Road
View the pdfSouth and East Bristol Ranger led volunteer group Spring 2025 Programme (pdf, 778 KB).
2: North Bristol
Time and day: 10am to 2:30pm, Fridays
Locations:
- Kingsweston Estate
- Shirehampton Park and Napier Miles
- Lawrence Weston and Saltmarsh Drive
View the pdfNorth Bristol Ranger led volunteer group Spring 2025 Programme (pdf, 775 KB).
Taster session
You can join us for a 30 minute or 1 hour taster session.
If you're short on time you can just stay until 12:30pm.
What we provide and what you will need to bring
We'll provide you with:
- Training
- Tools, equipment and gloves
- Tea, coffee and biscuits
- A welfare van with a toilet and handwashing facilities
You'll need to bring:
- Packed lunch and full water bottle
- Sturdy shoes and weather appropriate clothing
Apply online with Parks Volunteer Programme.
For more information, contact: parkvolunteers@bristol.gov.uk
Volunteer as a corporate team
If you'd like to get involved in parks with your employer, find opportunities with our charity partner Your Park Bristol and Bath.
Volunteer with a park project
There are several volunteering in parks projects aimed at groups such as young people or the unemployed.
ParkWork
ParkWork Go offers training and skills development for people who need more experience to find permanent work in parks across the city.
Contact parkvolunteers@bristol.gov.uk with the email subject ParkWork' to find out where in the city they'll be working each week.
One Tree Per Child
One Tree Per Child plants trees in schools, parks and open spaces. Volunteers can help plant or maintain trees throughout the year.
Groundwork South
Groundwork South works with Bristol's Friends of Parks groups to get more young people aged 11 to 25 to engage with their local parks.
They currently work with 12 friends of parks groups to provide:
- training in tool use
- education about conservation and horticulture
- mentoring to build confidence and increase employment prospects
Individual Volunteering
There are great benefits to volunteering and spending time outdoors with a group or as part of your day-to-day activities.
You may prefer to carry out low risk volunteer activities in your park in your own time such as weeding, litter picking, light pruning. You can do so provided the work is line with management plans and Park Byelaws.
You will not be covered under Bristol City Council's personal accident insurance unless you are a trained Volunteer Lead and have submitted a risk assessment to the relevant Parks Operational Coordinator.
Please follow the pdfIndividual Volunteering guidelines (pdf, 147 KB) to help keep yourself and other safe.
Parks Volunteer Programme Data Privacy Notice
Your privacy is important to us. We collect your personal details when you fill in a form, phone us or send us an email or letter.
For more information on what personal information we collect, how we store it, and your rights please see our Parks Volunteer Programme Privacy Notice.