CALLING all nature lovers: Yorkshire’s wildlife needs YOU.
The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is looking for three volunteers to join its board of trustees – and help drive forward its work of protecting the county’s wildlife and wild places.
The York-based Trust manages more than 100 nature reserves across the county and is at the forefront of conservation work, from ground-breaking partnership programmes such as Wild Ingleborough and Wilder Humber to their recent release of the first-ever State of Yorkshire’s Nature report.
It is managed by a board of volunteer trustees, who support and guide the charity and represent its 45,000 members.
No previous experience of being a trustee is needed – the Trust says it welcomes applications from anyone who feels they have the skills and time to offer.
But it is particularly interested in hearing from people with financial experience; legal experience; charity fundraising experience; conservation, wildlife or ecology experience; and experience in land acquisition, management or farming.
Pete Meadows, who at 28 became the youngest trustee in the organisation’s history, said being a trustee had been a real honour.
“Being a part of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust at a point when protection for nature has never been more pressing, and being able to shape the future direction of the Trust's work, is incredibly rewarding," he said.
Successful trustees should expect to commit at least five hours a month to Trust affairs, preparing for and attending meetings.
Chair of the trustees Jo Webb, who has been on the Board for eight years, said: “During my time as a trustee, I have learned so much about wildlife, and about the work the Trust does to help it thrive by bringing about nature’s recovery in Yorkshire.
“I’ve seen the Trust go from strength to strength with more land managed for nature by us, more and better facilities for visitors on some of our key reserves, more peat restored and protected from further erosion, increased focus on protecting and restoring wildlife round our coasts and in our seas, and better engagement with more communities for the benefit of both people and nature.
"And that list only begins to cover the breadth and power of our work!”
Vice-chair of trustees Nick Perks, who is leading the recruitment process, added: “I’m looking forward to welcoming new trustees to the team.
"A diverse Board of Trustees helps the Trust to make better decisions, to better represent the diversity of our membership and all communities across Yorkshire so we can create and deepen connections to nature everywhere.”
To find out more about becoming a Trustee of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, visit careers.ywt.org.uk/
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