Going Wild in Bishop's Castle Project Co-ordinator - Lightfoot Enterprises

Description

What is the Going Wild in Bishop's Castle project?

Going Wild will build on the evidence of two years of voluntary work to increase the size, biodiversity and interconnectedness of the town's green spaces; making them Bigger, Better, More and Joined Up, increasing engagement and empowering people to act for positive community-based environmental change.

Working on 35 sites, and actively managing up to 20, the project will engage the local community and encourage action, both at home and through organised activity.

The project will create a 'big vision' allowing everyone to contribute, from a plant pot to a pond, focusing on the power of collective action to improve local green spaces and build community connections.

The project will work across the community and across demographics to engage, extending project involvement beyond existing volunteer groups to encourage involvement from disengaged areas of the community and develop social prescribing potential.

Community members will be empowered to contribute to the biodiversity of their green spaces and providing opportunities to get up close and personal with nature.

Going Wild will create a Biodiversity Toolkit to allow wider communities to benefit from the project with a template for action.

This will demonstrate how this kind of activity can succeed and where to start.

Town and Parish Councils do not know how to respond to the biodiversity and climate emergencies and this toolkit, coupled with talks and other training, will provide a practical starting point.

Main Purpose of the post

Working with the Going Wild steering group (who will actively support the officer), to provide simple management plans for public spaces within Bishop's Castle.

To engage the community of Bishop's Castle with nature through a series of events, articles and talks, using face-to-face and digital methods to reach as many people as possible.

To run regular activities for volunteers which will include taster sessions, work parties, a children's/young people's wildlife club and a series of winter talks in the town hall.

The post holder will plan, organise, manage and deliver this programme of activities and public facing events with a specific focus on nature-based volunteer involvement and participation.

Principal duties and responsibilities
The following duties are not our exhaustive list but are an indication of the responsibilities of the post-holder.

• Help to recruit and then manage the Going Wild Project Assistant with support from the Going Wild steering group and staff at Enterprise House.
• Recruit, manage and train new groups of volunteers to undertake regular conservation tasks in and around Bishop's Castle. Plan and deliver monthly conservation tasks, suitable for volunteers with a range of training and ability. Budgets exist to pay for specialist input.
• Work with owners and managers of land to create simple management plans for minimum 20 of the previously identified 33 green spaces including a map, a monthly work plan and a threeyear work plan. Ecological advice and information is available.
• Recruit children and young people to join a Going Wild club and run regular activities, liaising with existing local clubs such as the scouting groups. Work closely with both schools to improve their grounds and engage pupils.
• Be responsible for the project resources (protective clothing, tools and stocks of materials) and for ensuring they are maintained and replaced as appropriate.
• Attend a range of community events in the area to promote the project and to recruit new volunteers. These will include events such as the Carnival and Michaelmas Fair and on occasion, town council meetings.
• Organise and deliver taster events to engage people. Run a series of winter talks in the town hall to be followed by summer activities outdoors. Budgets exist to pay for specialist input.
• Plan and deliver a rolling programme of publicity and promotion across a range of media to encourage involvement with the project and to galvanise people to action in their own homes and gardens.
• Produce a Toolkit to enable other communities to undertake similar work, whilst this will be of interest to individuals and groups it will be particularly aimed at Town and Parish Councils needing to respond to the climate and biodiversity crises. Specialist input will be available.
• Work in partnership with other groups and organisations engaged in nature conservation and in increasing public wellness. These will include Restoring Shropshire's Verges Project, Stepping Stones, Social Prescribing and Caring for God's Acre.
• Ensure volunteers and learners receive valuable experience and training plus enjoyment and a sense of achievement and that all of the activities adhere to H&S procedures
• Working with Enterprise House and Lightfoot staff, keep a record of the budget, cashflow and spend and prepare financial information in the form requested by the funders.

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