成人快手

Joy Chalk from Corfe Mullen did her first day of volunteering on Brownsea in 1992. 14 years later she's still coming three times a week to show visitors around the Dorset Wildlife Trust reserve on the eastern side of the island.

Joy said, "I love the fresh air and I love the nature and I'm glad to be doing my bit."

Nina Brogli and Joy Chalk

When she first arrives she makes a few observations so she can point them out to the visitors and then she and a handful of volunteers guide people through the reserve.

Once the island closes to the public in the winter, she helps with manual conservation work or with making refreshments for the workers slaving away in the cold.

Odd jobs

The volunteers are asked to do any number of jobs but one job crops up time and time again - clearing the rhododendrons.

The island was once covered in the aggressive shrubs, choking out other wildlife. Since the National Trust took over 40 years ago, there's been an ongoing programme to eradicate them.

Craig Bailey from Bournemouth comes across every Wednesday because his job as a hotel manager means his weekends are tied up. He's often asked to help clear the rhododendrons but he says he enjoys the challenge of trying to tame them.

Other jobs include replenishing the shingle on the islands in the lagoon, creating footpaths and clearing litter from the beaches.

Rubbish collected during a litter pick

All walks of life

There's no one type of volunteer. They range in age and come from all walks of life.

Care home worker Jan Thomas and library assistant Elizabeth Woodford fit their volunteering around their day jobs. Jan said "It's a chance to do things I wouldn't normally do... I enjoy it as I can see the wildlife and make friends."

Then there's 19 year old Nina Brogli from Switzerland who's spending three months living on Brownsea to gain some conservation experience. She had never heard of Brownsea Island until she started surfing the net and clicked on the Dorset Wildlife Trust's website. She gave the trust call and set off for Britain.

Conservation days

The volunteers don't have to be diligent regulars committing day after day of their valuable time. The National Trust holds conservation days in the winter to which anyone whether they have skills or experience or not can come.

Also a number of companies allow their staff to come to Brownsea in work time to help. In 2007 more than 2,000 people volunteered.

Dorset Wildlife Trust's volunteering programme manager Steve Davis is in charge of organising the personnel for all the projects for the trust. He told us that he needs people who like being outside and who have a passion for wildlife.

He said "We have about 1,000 volunteers working for the trust (around Dorset)... Without them we wouldn't function."

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