Volunteering days in the beautiful Blackdown Hills landscape...


​NCV is a friendly, informal, practical group which works at Young Wood and across a variety of wildlife sites in the Blackdown Hills, to improve habitats and public access.  

We work on land belonging to Butterfly Conservation, Somerset Wildlife Trust, the Forestry Commission, the Blackdown Hills Trust and others, and we've amassed some 3000 volunteer days over the last decade.

An NCV task is a great way to make a difference for wildlife, meet new people and get some natural exercise!  We offer work to suit different abilities, always practical and always involving hand tools.  

​You don't need prior experience, all tools and instruction are provided, and we try and cater for everyone.  And there are always biscuits!  
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​NCV tasks generally take place on the second, third and fourth Wednesdays of the month.
  • ​To see what's coming up, look at the calendar list below.  
  • Click on any one of the blue headings to see full details of that task.  ​
  • To book on any task, just CLICK HERE to email us and say which task you intend to come to.
There is further information about NCV tasks below the calendar.

NCV tasks have now resumed, and are taking place each Wednesday, following social distancing and hygiene guidelines in line with Government advice.  We will continue to review the situation in the coming weeks.  See below for current calendar of events.

​FURTHER INFORMATION: 

How to get to tasks:  Directions to work sites are given in the listing about each event. Volunteers are generally expected to make their own way to the site, but if you need a lift please contact us and we’ll try and arrange for another volunteer to pick you up – we can’t guarantee this however.

What to bring:  Please bring a packed lunch and a water bottle – hot drinks and biscuits are always provided (expect where specified). Wear suitable old, tough clothes and good boots. On some sites wellies are advisable, all year-round! 

Accessibility and health considerations:  By their nature, most of the wildlife sites NCV works on have uneven, sometimes boggy, sometimes steep terrain, and sometimes there are stiles to negotiate to reach the work sites. We will do all we can to accommodate volunteers’ access needs, but if you have limited mobility please enquire about the site before you book. 

On the day, please inform the group leader if you have a medical condition of which they should be aware. Many sites have ticks, and you are advised to wear insect repellent in the warmer months of the year to reduce the risk of picking them up.

Insurance and data:  NCV tasks are insured as part of Woodlanders' wider activities, each task has a trained leader, and first aiders will be present. There is no need to register with us but if you choose to provide us with your email address, your details will be kept on our database in accordance with the Data Protection Act, and will not be used for any other purpose or passed on to any third parties.  We send out a (roughly) monthly emailed newsletter about NCV and wider Woodlanders activities, which you can unsubscribe to at any time.