Our Work

With your help, we can breathe new life into this incredible place.

Industrial pollution, wild fires, overgrazing and well-loved routes trodden by millions of people have all taken their toll on this beautiful landscape. Conservation projects are happening all around the Peak District to help protect our countryside and the species they support for future generations to enjoy.

For every acre of land under our protection, we spend £30 on landscape conservation and the improvement of access to the countryside, each year.

The Peak District Appeal aims to raise the much needed funds in order to save peat habitats, so that the mountain hare, short-eared owl and many other rare species associated with the Peak District can continue to live, breed and enjoy the wilds of the landscape.

If you delight in the rolling hills of the Peak District or the serenity it brings and would like to give something back to this iconic landscape then volunteering is for you. You too can help to save the Peaks for future generations alongside our wardens and staff.

Whether you would like a more hands-on conservation role out in the field, a seasonally events focused role or a more behind the scenes role assisting with the administration of the office, there are plenty of volunteering opportunities throughout the year.

All volunteers make a significant contribution to our continued work to protect the Peaks. It also offers you the chance to meet new people, become more involved with what we do and gives you the chance to share your skills.

Skills Sharing Days

Volunteers in the Peak District have the opportunity to attend and take part in a number of regular skills sharing days. These days enable volunteers to meet staff and volunteers from other departments and to try out new activities. Throughout the year, volunteers and staff have undertaken diverse activities, from making scones and caving to butterfly identification.

New volunteer roles in the Peak District

We are currently recruiting for the following roles:
Patrol volunteers – walk the estate, supporting the wardens with minor maintenance tasks and providing our visitors with a visible and welcoming presence across the area
Information volunteers – based at our busiest sites, help our visitors to have an enjoyable day and give them information about the work of the National Trust
Raffle ticket sellers – fundraising through raffle ticket sales at our busiest sites

For more information, contact Rachel Mora-Bannon on 07867 906 168 or email rachel.mora-bannon@nationaltrust.org.uk

Jill Beckett, Longshaw Kitchen Garden Volunteer Co-ordinator

“I’ve been passionate about gardening for many years and decided to study for the RHS General Certificate in Horticulture in 2001. In the same year, on a day trip to Clumber Park, I discovered the Walled Kitchen Garden where a vegetable tasting session was being held. I was so inspired that I volunteered as a gardener and spent the next 5 years supporting the team with practical duties, historical research and regular events, like Taste Tests and Apple Days.

Since moving to the Peak District I had the good fortune to work at Longshaw, supporting the Volunteer Development Officer with admin and all things relating to volunteering, whilst she was seconded to Heelis. When the opportunity to help develop the kitchen garden at Longshaw arose I was keen to be involved and am now the Volunteer Co-ordinator for the project, working with the team of 10 green-fingered volunteers.

I have kept my links with Clumber Park and have visited Jane Turner, the Senior Gardener in their Walled Kitchen Garden. Her advice and suggestions will prove invaluable, as although the garden is vast by comparison to Longshaw’s, it’s run on the same organic principles, supplies the restaurant with produce, hosts regular family events and is supported by many keen volunteers. We really want to inspire visitors, and families in particular, to grow their own fruit and veg, whether they have a garden or not. So we’re planning to grow in containers as well as in the ground and provide lots of information on how to do it so watch this space!”

Whether you enjoy the open countryside, wildlife, or just somewhere peaceful to relax a National Trust membership gives you a wide variety of things to do, as often as you like, whenever you like – making it money well spent.

By becoming a member today you can start to explore some of Britain’s most beautiful places, whist helping to protect them for ever, for everyone.

Funds raised through membership can help protect the Peak District by helping us to buy the necessary resources. Whether it is re-planting hedgerows in the Edale Valley or repairing drystone walls across the Peak District, £30 will pay for a metre of material.

Join online today: it is safe, easy and secure. We will also send you a temporary e-card which allows you to start enjoying your membership today.