My name is Carrie Riddleston. I am 31-years-old and my Suffolk Wildlife Trust volunteering journey began April 2019. I am a full-time student and I initially contacted Lucy Shepherd in Ipswich to see if I could volunteer over the summer. My availability increased as I gave up part-time work to focus on my degree. This was extremely exciting as I instantly had more time available to volunteer in Ipswich, and I also was able to fulfil a summer internship with the Conservation Team going to many different sites. I was put at ease entirely and felt comfortable. I was asked about the availability and time I had to offer, and if there was an age group I would prefer to work with. I could choose from many opportunities, nothing was too much trouble.

My internship began in June and I received a warm welcome at head office at Brooke House in Ashbocking where my desk was based for my internship. Some of the skills, knowledge and experiences I gained during my time included going out and learning different survey techniques such as water vole, dormouse, badger, bat and botany. I also learned skills in the office such as survey write-ups, QGIS, desktop surveys and insight to planning applications and the impact it has on our wildlife.

Along with gaining skills for my degree with the Conversation Team, I was able to have a giggle, learn and share experiences with the youth of Ipswich in the beautiful parks within the town. Ipswich does not have a Suffolk Wildlife Trust visitor centre and the volunteering experience is through outreach engagement which has its advantages as no day or session is ever the same. Sessions change with the seasons and there is always something to learn, explore and to keep the children interested and on their toes. A session could be Wild Tots on a Thursday morning in Christchurch Park with mud kitchens, afternoon teas, hammocks, sweep netting for insects or making butterfly wings or even woodland aprons, decorating them with natural ingredients such as blackberries, leaves or mud.  

The sessions were always varied, like dissecting owl pellets, making bird boxes in chantry library, making smores over a fire pit in Holywells, to guided walks in Christchurch Park searching for tawny owls. During the summer, I felt part of a community that grew and included toddlers, primary school children, home-educated teenagers, mums, dads, aunties, grandparents, and it was remarkable that this all occurred in the green spaces of Ipswich. This goes to show that you don’t need a building or visitor centre to form a community, a little van with a hedgehog on the side can be the beating heart of Ipswich and provide a thriving hub for all ages to enjoy.

When my summer was over with Suffolk Wildlife Trust I was genuinely gutted about returning to student life. So much so that I have remained in contact with Lucy and have helped over the holiday periods around studying. I also have gone out with the Conservation Team a few times since completing my internship and have been fortunate enough to be able to complete my dissertation at one of the reserves.