We love our volunteers!
Like many organisations, we owe an awful lot of our success to the hard work of our volunteers. From the murky depths of winter to the blazing heat of summer, they never fail to turn up and dedicate their time to the farm’s development. In return, we try hard to make them feel valued and provide them with useful skills and knowledge to help them in their future careers. This afternoon, we had a chat with a few of them to see how Butser has helped them follow their ambitions. We are always very happy to welcome new volunteers, so please email us at admin@butserancientfarm.co.uk for more information!Phoebe has been volunteering at the farm for almost two years whilst studying for her Level 3 Extended Diploma in Animal Management. Now she is preparing for a new adventure as she starts her BSc in Zoology at Reading University in September. She says that working at the farm has improved her confidence and given her a whole load of new skills. In the future she hopes to work in conservation, particularly with endangered species around the world.Stuart joins us every Friday to take care of the animals, and spends the rest of the week volunteering at Staunton Country Park and Blendworth. He loves animal care and working outdoors, and is now an expert on understanding the subtle behaviour of our livestock – especially the goats! Last year, he was awarded Volunteer of the Year by East Hampshire District Council for his hard work and dedication.Harry has been completing his work experience with us for the last two weeks. He is currently studying for his GCSEs in History, PE, Geography and Media Studies, and chose to work at the farm because it was local and he likes working outdoors. He hasn’t yet decided which career he’d like to pursue, but he is very pleased with the variety of skills he has picked up over such a short time here!