- UK environmental charities are encouraging more organisations to take action to support nature’s fight against climate change.
- As record-breaking heat, wildfires and extreme weather bring the climate crisis closer to home, employers are urged to create more opportunities for staff to volunteer for environmental projects
- Royal Voluntary Service proposes introduction of quarterly ‘green lunch breaks’ dedicated to supporting nature-based action at work
Leading environmental charities, alongside Royal Voluntary Service and digital volunteering platform GoVo for Business, are calling for more organisations to join nature’s fight for survival.
Together, the group of charities including The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), Keep Britain Tidy, Marine Conservation Society and Chester Zoo, are urging organisations across Britain to enable more employees to get involved with local projects that restore habitats, protect wildlife and strengthen the natural environments.
And, as part of its ambition to unlock 100 million hours of employee volunteering by 2028 for all causes, Royal Voluntary Service is also encouraging workplaces to make it easier for staff to volunteer. This includes a suggestion to roll-out quarterly ‘green lunch breaks’, a dedicated time for teams to take part in bite-sized volunteering activities that benefit the environment.
The call coincides with ITV’s groundbreaking new natural history series, Force of Nature, which follows wildlife fighting back against the escalating impacts of climate change. ITV and Royal Voluntary Service hope the series will inspire people to take action to support climate resilience through volunteering.
Love Actually and The Walking Dead actor, and Force of Nature narrator, Andrew Lincoln, said: “I feel privileged to be a part of Force of Nature, it is an extraordinary TV series about the impact of the climate crisis on animal survival. It gives an important message of hope that every one of us can play a part in making a difference. Across the country charities on the frontline of environmental and animal conservation need help. By stepping forward to volunteer you can become part of the urgent effort to protect our natural world.”
Catherine Johnstone CBE, CEO of Royal Voluntary Service, said: “Throughout history, communities across Britain have come together in response to society’s most urgent challenges. Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time, and volunteering gives people and organisations a practical way to be part of the solution.
“Employers can play a vital role in inspiring action, with platforms such as GoVo for Business making it easier to find the right opportunities. Amid one of the most extraordinary summers on British record, we’re urging workplaces to think creatively about how they can boost employee involvement, for example, through initiatives like a quarterly ‘green lunch break’ that will provide a set time for colleagues to volunteer for nature and environmental projects.”
“Whether it is protecting green spaces, supporting wildlife or helping communities become more resilient, every contribution matters. Small actions, multiplied by millions of people, can create lasting change that will impact our generations to come.”
Jo Morison, Volunteer Manager at Chester Zoo, said: “Climate change isn’t a distant threat to the species we work to save – it’s wildfires tearing through the Cairngorms, where Scottish wildcats are being released back into the wild, and moorland near Manchester, where we helped bring back a butterfly once lost from the region. Nature is resilient, but it needs help fighting back. That’s why volunteering matters more than ever.
“Chester Zoo is already working with nature volunteers across Cheshire through our Networks for Nature project, helping the county to reach its biodiversity targets. We very much encourage anyone interested in volunteering to search online for similar schemes near them and get involved.”
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, CEO of Keep Britain Tidy, said:“The job to take care of our environment is urgent, and it is everybody’s business to protect the places not only we – but wildlife and marine life – call home.
“I say to any person who thinks the challenge is insurmountable, or that their actions alone cannot make a dint in the problem, that together, person by person, day by day, we can make a huge difference to the environment on our doorstep.”
Sandy Luk, CEO at the Marine Conservation Society, said:“Volunteering for the ocean is one of the most powerful ways you can make a difference to the climate crisis. Our ocean is our greatest ally in tackling climate change, but it is under increasing pressure from human activity. Whether you’re reporting seaweed types and jellyfish sightings to help scientists understand how our seas are changing, or collecting and recording litter to drive action on the causes of pollution, every contribution helps to protect the ocean we all depend on.”
There are hundreds of flexible opportunities available on GoVo for Business, with over 750 environment, conservation and animal welfare roles currently needing volunteers. Many can be completed in just a few hours or even during a lunch break. Roles include:
- Getting hands-on to preserve and enhance local forests.
- Supporting and protecting local wildlife from helping sick or injured animals, to creating habitats.
- Restoring wetlands and cleaning beaches and waterways.
- Monitoring and caring for bats, seals, butterflies, hedgehogs, bees and birds.
- Joining one of TCV’s Green Gyms to combine practical outdoor activities with the benefits of exercise and nature.
- Organising and supporting community events to engage and inspire more people.
- Digital and remote volunteering to raise awareness, advocate for charities and monitor wildlife.
GoVo for Business can help organisations scale their volunteering impact across nature, communities and a range of good causes, with tools to track impact. Visit royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/businesses
