Last month’s New Forest National Park Volunteer Fair saw hundreds of people asking more than 50 local organisations about volunteering.
The Fair took place on 25 January and focused on opportunities for all ages and abilities, whilst highlighting how volunteers can help bring communities together.
Organisations at the 2026 Fair included the Countryside Education Trust, Freshwater Habitats Trust, Flourish in Nature, Guide Dogs, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, Litter Pickers of the New Forest, the RNLI, and RSPB.
There were opportunities on offer to suit everybody, from active tasks like improving footpaths and heathland to helping lead inclusive cycling rides and healthy walks, as well as low-activity and home-based roles, such as archiving, admin and social media.
This year, the Fair was opened by PEDALL New Forest Inclusive Cycling manager Shelley Filby, alongside New Forest National Park Authority CEO Alison Barnes and New Forest East MP Sir Julian Lewis.
Members of the New Forest Youth Board also attended, championing young people’s experiences and youth-focused opportunities with the New Forest NPA, as well as organisations involved in the Youth for Climate and Nature (YouCAN) scheme.
New Forest NPA access and learning manager, Jim Mitchell said: ‘By bringing everybody together in one space every year, we hope to ensure people find the right opportunity for them, whether it be on weekends, suitable for under 18s, or volunteering for those with additional needs.
‘It’s a friendly and informal event and we’re delighted that we, as a National Park Authority, can bring all these groups, organisations and people together to support the New Forest.’
PEDALL New Forest Inclusive Cycling manager, Shelley Filby said: ‘Volunteers are essential for the safe delivery of our rides and to help with our public engagement, without them we simply couldn’t operate.
‘Volunteering really helped me connect with new people, gave me a sense of purpose and meant I could give something back to the wider community.’
Community First lead volunteering service coordinator, Jag Singh said: ‘The Fair is a great chance for us to speak to community members and find out what they want out of volunteering and what motivates them to get up every day and give their time and to do good in the community.’
New Forest Youth Board member Toby Pearse said: ‘I volunteer because it’s a good way to get out and to help with conservation, a good way to meet new people, and it’s a good way to help local communities.
‘The New Forest National Park Volunteer Fair is a perfect starting point for career opportunities so people can build networks and learn more about the career they want to get into. This is particularly important for young people as the next generation of conservationists or the next people coming into a green or community-focused career.’
Watch highlights of the New Forest National Park Volunteer Fair here:
Thanks to National Lottery players and the National Lottery Heritage Fund we have been able to support volunteering in the New Forest through the New Routes to Nature project.