—it’s about being part of something bigger, something that flows through every corner of our countryside.
River Irthing
River Eden
River Petteril
Volunteers are at the heart of everything we do at Eden Rivers Trust. From restoring riverbanks to supporting community events, much of our work simply wouldn’t be possible without the time, energy, and passion of our amazing volunteers.
Whether you're a seasoned expert or just curious to get involved, there's a place for you here.
You don’t need specialist knowledge—just bring your enthusiasm, and we’ll bring the cake!
... is a chance to
Learn new skills
Meet like-minded people, and
Make a real impact on your local environment
We have a range of activities to choose from, spanning the River Eden catchment. Whether you prefer outdoors-get-your-hands-dirty conservation based jobs or helping at events, with educational work, photography or citizen science research, we’ll have something that’s sure to fit.
We welcome every volunteer, whatever your skills or background, or however much time you can spare. We've put in measures to keep everybody safe while they are working with us.
Come and be part of something special. Help us protect and celebrate the rivers of Eden —for wildlife, for people, and for future generations.
We're delighted that you're taking the plunge!
If you’re new to volunteering with Eden Rivers Trust, you’ll be invited to register your details with us. Once approved, you’ll be free to book places on our volunteer activities and receive regular updates from us about new opportunities.
If you'd like to find out more about volunteering with us first or have specific questions, Jenni, our Volunteer Coordinator will be happy to help. You can get in touch with her on 01768 866788 or email [email protected]
Browse our latest volunteer opportunities on this page or go to the What's on page to see everything that is coming up.
Some opportunities are just turn up on the day, for others you will have to reserve your place using our volunteer app powered by Team Kinetic.
If you’re new to volunteering with Eden Rivers Trust, you’ll be invited to register your details with us. Once approved, you’ll be free to book places on our volunteer activities and receive regular updates from us about new opportunities.
Just follow the link on the event page to sign up for the event and it will then prompt you to login or register.
We don't want this to be a barrier to volunteering with us, so if you are unable to use Team Kinetic, please give Jenni a call and we'll sort it out so that you can join your desired event!
Help support conservation projects throughout the Eden catchment – including tree planting in winter, crayfish surveys & balsam bashing in summer, as well as special additional dates such as crayfish or fish rescues and water vole releases. Held on Thursdays and one weekend day each month.
Join us at our Eden Community Tree Nursery, an accessible space, open to all, where we grow trees from seeds, build up the nursery space, and support our communities to become more resilient and sustainable. Regular sessions are held on Tuesday afternoons and Friday mornings.
River & habitat surveys, species surveys, and Riverfly monitoring. Training and support provided.
Help us with riverfly monitoring, mink monitoring and riparian surveys in the Upper Irthing.
Join us on regular work parties throughout the summer months to remove invasive species such as Himalayan Balsam from the Eden catchment.
Support our Outdoor Learning Manager in delivering fun, inspirational, hands-on sessions in schools.
Help us tell our story and build a library of stunning images and/or footage for educational, promotional and research use.
There are lots of ways you can help - meet people and share information about our work, rivers and Eden’s wildlife at public shows and events; help set up/take down stalls and activities, and/or leaflet and poster distribution to help promote events.
Help our charity to deliver our aims to improve and sustain the River Eden and its catchment to become an even better place for people and wildlife.
We are keen to hear from people who are interested in taking on this role and joining our Executive Board when opportunities arise.
Here's what some of our volunteers had to say about volunteering with Eden Rivers Trust.
20 min read
08/12/2025
We would like to commission a Lead Artist / Principal Contractor as part of our Access to Eden: Breaking Barriers and Building Bridges Project, funded by The National Lottery…
Take a look at this article
10 min read
08/12/2025
Welcome to the first edition of our 'Explore Eden' newsletter. We've put together lots of ideas to help you to explore the Eden river catchment throughout the winter months.
Take a look at this article
5 min read
03/12/2025
Thanks to the power of partnerships and a collective ambition to care for the Eden river catchment, its water and soils, its biodiversity and resilience to droughts and downpours,…
Take a look at this article