

Come and get involved learning about endangered wildflower meadow restoration work at the Cumbria Seed Bank. We are saving seed from 14 rare and declining species to then propagate into plug plants at our conservation nursery at Gosling Sike, then we'll plant them out in specific sites to establish essential new habitats. We are working in partnership with Kew Gardens Millennium Seed Bank, and there is a unique opportunity for a behind the scenes residential visit to the Millennium Seed Bank at the end of the project as one of our 'Young Environmental Leaders'. Want to learn about seed saving, site surveys, plant I.D, growing techniques, conservation strategies, why it's so important and much, much more besides. Get in touch!
Check out our Nursery and Community Wildlife Gardens here at Gosling Sike (Houghton, North Carlisle) Check out the Kew Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst.

Volunteering
Volunteer days are open to all and are a great opportunity to socialise and to learn about forest restoration, as well as contribute to creating more native woodland in Cumbria. Tasks include removing non-native trees, planting native trees, collecting and propagating seeds, and the protection and…
Training
This ancient heritage skill is rapidly disappearing from our countryside. By managing a hedge by ‘laying’, trees are encouraged to regenerate; this extends their life, and that of the hedge as a whole. A well-laid hedge can act as a great barrier to livestock movement as well as providing…
Training
Want to learn how to lay hedges correctly?Hedge Laying Training Day (Intermediate Level) with HLS champion trainers Peter Gibson and John Handley, with our Hedges and Edges Nature Recovery Project.
Volunteering
Hedgerows are amazing. They help provide healthy soils, hold carbon and slowing down water flow, and rich wildlife habitats. They're also beautiful, often hundreds of years old and provide field boundaries and shelter for farm animals. But, since the 1950s, 118,000 miles of hedgerows have been…
Volunteering
Hedgerows are amazing. They help provide healthy soils, hold carbon and slowing down water flow, and rich wildlife habitats. They're also beautiful, often hundreds of years old and provide field boundaries and shelter for farm animals. But, since the 1950s, 118,000 miles of hedgerows have been…
Volunteering
You will be the voice representing the younger populations perspectives, experiences and needs across the Lake District and Cumbria. By being willing to voice these concerns and the innovative ideas, you will help to develop campaigns on the matters that you care about most. You will also have the…
Apprenticeship
Are you passionate about the outdoors, wildlife or farming? Want to turn that passion into a career? Cumbria Connect is now recruiting for three apprentices, focusing on nature recovery, nature-friendly farming and land management – right here in the Lake District.
Volunteering
Volunteer with West Cumbria Rivers Trust. As the Spring showers begin toads/frogs make their way back to their ponds to mate. Unfortunately, often these journeys require amphibians to cross the road at night, which can be pretty dangerous. Join us on a wet spring evening to collect toads on the…
Volunteering
Volunteer with West Cumbria Rivers Trust. Before we can plant wildflowers on previously degraded land it needs a bit of TLC through various methods to prepare the soil.
Volunteering
Volunteer with West Cumbria Rivers Trust. Himalayan balsam is an invasive non-native species that grows throughout the summer months. It takes over riparian areas to reduce biodiversity and increase flood risk. In the summer months we work to pull it up (an easy task!).
Apprenticeship
Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard, Landbased Service Engineering Technician. Imagine working on a piece of high-tech equipment like a CLAAS LEXION combine, one of the largest output combine harvesters in the world. Equipped with a powerful 790hp engine, advanced GPS steering, field scanning…
Volunteering
Join our workparty for general maintenance work. We'll be doing all kinds of tasks depending on what needs doing so you may find yourself tree staking, checking tubes and ties, removing tubes, grass weeding, path clearance, hedge trimming or plug planting for example.Various dates and locations -…
Apprenticeship
Assistant Farm Manager, Level 4. The Assistant farm manager will assist in the management at every stage, from the breeding for livestock, during the production of the livestock through to either farm gate sale or direct supply to the consumer. They will consider human, plant and animal health and…
Volunteering
If you would like to join as a volunteer and offer any of your skills, such as Fundraising, IT support, Learning about the breed and hill farmers, or Trustee, then we would love to hear from you and aid us in building our growing team who find it a varied and rewarding experience.
Work Experience
We welcome school students wanting placements and the occasional older student needing hours etc before going to uni. These are normally a week's placement and there are relevant forms to complete on the website before applying. The work experience is open to anyone, and is from 9am to 1pm each day…
Volunteering
Get the micro-volunteering bug today and join the biggest citizen’s science project that National Parks have ever undertaken. Look Wild uses a free nature identification app that will name plants and animals for you and contribute to a huge National Park-led project at the same time. It’s free to…
Volunteering
Our Young Rangers programme offers a unique opportunity for young people aged 14 to 18 years to get involved in practical conservation volunteering. Young Rangers activities take place every month on a Sunday and are led by experienced Rangers from a several partner organisations including the…
Apprenticeship
Animal Care & Welfare Assistant Level 2 Apprenticeship. Animal Care and Welfare Assistants look after the routine day to day husbandry and care of domestic and/or wild animals under guidance in a variety of different settings. The work is carried out individually or as part of a team in places such…
Apprenticeship
Assistant Farm Manager Level 4 Apprenticeship. The broad purpose of the occupation is to professionally operate and support the management of an agricultural or horticultural business such as a farm. They will assist in the management at every stage, from the beginning of the product life cycle…
Volunteering
Our Wildlife Watch groups are for children to make friends with other nature detectives and have lots of fun taking part in practical nature activities - from pond dipping to wildlife safaris.
Volunteering
Get stuck in to practical task on a hands-on conservation day. There's plenty of wildflower planting to do, scrub and bramble removal, bracken bashing, and invasive plant removal, as well as path, bridge and boundary repairs. Lace up your boots and come and join us!
Work Experience
As a busy centre, we can provide in-depth work experience of being employed in an equine stableyard. We are passionate about sharing experiences and helping students get a foothold in the industry. When you work with us, we will train you in safe yard practices as well as give references and…

Furness College Open Day 20 November

Myerscough College Course Advice Morning 6 December

Cumbrian Agriculture, Arboriculture and Forestry Apprenticeship INFORMATION EVENINGS