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► Ruperts Wood - Volunteers Needed

The Rupert's Wood Project has been in existence in one form or another since the mid-1980's with SCAN volunteers undertaking conservation activities and reclaiming a beautiful stone-lined pond. The Rupert's Wood Environmental Education Project was founded in 2000 by volunteers from SCAN (www.rupertswood.co.uk)

Rupert's Wood covers 31 hectares of the beautiful Redesdale valley in Northumberland, and is a woodland haven for a wide variety of wildlife enclosed by a drystone wall. Our boardwalk winds its way between majestic beech trees, a hazel plantation, knarley old oak trees and the grand Scot's pines. We aim to conserve and enhance Rupert's Wood as a special place for future generations and also offer opportunities for people to develop practical conservation skills and be inspired to care for the natural world.

Over the last decade, Lord Redesdale (patron of SCAN) has opened up Rupert’s Wood and the surrounding estate for SCAN volunteers to undertake conservation, access and educational projects.

Our mission:
To inspire an interest in the natural world and help develop young people’s compassion for the environment.

In achieving this mission, the Rupert’s Wood project strives to provide a safe and accessible place where children and young people can explore and discover the natural environment through play, guided investigation and contemplation.

Our work is split into 2 broad areas:

1. Conservation
Conservation tasks are run throughout the year in the Redesdale valley as well as in Rupert’s Wood. In the past tasks have included: boardwalk construction, bracken clearing, tree planting, fence building, woodland maintenance.

Tasks usually take place on weekends – check our news page or sign up to the mailing list to keep updated on what’s coming up.

2. Camps and day trips
Rupert’s Wood summer camps have been run by SCAN volunteers since 2001 and involvement can range from coming on the camps and day trips to taking an active role in the planning and running of the project. The young people (age range 6-17 years) participating in the project are from youth groups around Newcastle with which SCAN has built up good relations. Both the young people and youth workers are enthusiastic about the project so days out are always tiring but enjoyed by all! Activities the project runs include environmental games, conservation activities, pond dipping, survival skills and teambuilding activities and one day of outdoor sports (rock climbing, canoeing, archery, etc.) on each summer camp.

These mainly take place during school holidays with summer camps being in the long summer holidays and day trips over half terms throughout the year

Volunteers Needed
We are looking to hear from people who can join the Rupert's Wood Conservation Volunteer Group. Your role would be to help out with various conservation tasks at the wood, preparing the wood for the day trips and residentials and of course to help out with the children’s camps (if you want to!). It would be tremendous if we could get a core group of student volunteers who we can call upon to help out when needed. (Don’t worry you won’t need to commit to attending every visit to the wood, we realise how busy your timetable can be).

We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who can drive on this project as the wood is situated a 30 minute drive from Newcastle. SCAN have our own car to use on the project and anyone willing to drive will receive an induction and then be added to the SCAN vehicle insurance.
This is a tremendous opportunity for anyone wanting to volunteer in a beautiful natural environment, are interested in conservation and want to commit to helping on a long term project. There is also an opportunity to obtain apply for the John Muir Award. An environmental award scheme focused on wild places which encourages awareness and responsibility for the natural environment, in a spirit of fun, adventure and exploration.

To find out more about how you can get involved please contact Red (Rupert’s Wood Project Worker)