Our online services for planning, building control and licensing applications will be unavailable from 14 to 17 April. This is due to essential maintenance.

We work closely with community groups which help look after our public open spaces including parks, nature reserves and woodlands.

Volunteering is for everyone. It allows you to meet new people, learn new skills and improve your wellbeing. Volunteers often find it fun and rewarding.

For updates on our community spaces you can sign up to our e-newsletter.

The Hive

The Hive is our community spaces network. It is a group that supports residents who volunteer to care for our public open spaces.

We collect feedback and data on the number of hours volunteers work, where they work and any regular concerns.

Find a group

There are many local community groups with volunteering opportunities. You can view the different groups by area below.

To start a new community group, you can contact us using the details on this page.

If you cannot expand the sections below, try refreshing your browser.

All areas of South Gloucestershire

The Conservation Volunteers

The Conservation Volunteers work on a variety of sites in South Gloucestershire offering practical workdays. 

Website: The Conservation Volunteers 

Phone: 0117 929 1624 

Bitton

Avon Valley Railway

Avon Valley Railway support all aspects of running steam railway. This includes maintenance to railways and some conservation work.

Website: Avon Valley Railway

Phone: 0117 932 5538

Email: info@avonvalleyrailway.org

Bradley Stoke

Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group

The Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group are based in the Nature Reserve in Bradley Stoke. They support practical conservation.
Website: Three Brooks

Phone: 07497 006676

Email: info@three-brooks.info

Bridgeyate

Friends of Barnabas Field

Friends of Barnabas Field are based in Bridgeyate. They deal with meadow conservation.

Friends of Bridgeyate Wildlife Corridor

Friends of Bridgeyate Wildlife Corridor are based in Bridgeyate. They work on the practical conservation such as construction and maintenance of habitat for educational purposes.

Email: alex@du-pre.freeserve.co.uk

Bromley Heath

Friends of Bromley Heath Playing Fields

Friends of Bromley Heath Playing Fields are based in Bromley Heath. They are active in fundraising, conservation and improving amenities. 

Email: bromleyheathpark@aol.com

Downend and Bromley Heath in Bloom Group

This group have transformed the high street and other areas of Downend with extensive flower displays. 

Facebook: Downend and Bromley Heath in Bloom Group

Cadbury Heath

MOATivation

MOATivation are based in Barrs Court, Cadbury Heath. They manage and conserve the historic moat. 

Email: barrscourtmoat@gmail.com

Chipping Sodbury

Avon Wildlife Trust: Southwold Group

Avon Wildlife Trust has a local group based in Yate and Chipping Sodbury. Their activities include practical workdays to manage and conserve nature and wildlife locally as well as events and talks. 

Website: Avon Wildlife Trust

Friends of Lilliput Park

Friends of Lilliput Park are based in Chipping Sodbury. They deal with the planning and management of the park’s nature conservation interest.

Email: richard.aston@southglos.gov.uk

Friends of Ridge Woods

Friends of Ridge Woods are based in Yate and Chipping Sodbury. They plan the woodland management and offer practical workdays and events. 

Website: Ridge Wood

Email: info@ridge-wood.org.uk

St John’s Park Conservation Group

St John’s Park Conservation Group are based in Chipping Sodbury. They are interested in the practical management of the park for conservation, interest and events. 

Coalpit Heath

Friends of Ram Hill Colliery

Friends of Ram Hill Colliery are based in Coalpit Heath. They are active in conserving this nationally important coal mine and they open it for events and group visits. 

Cromhall

Cromhall Play Well Association

Cromhall Play Well Association is based in Cromhall and help to manage the play facilities for the benefit of local children. 

Downend

Downend and Bromley Heath in Bloom Group

This group has transformed the high street and other areas of Downend with extensive flower displays. 

Facebook: Downend and Bromley Heath in Bloom Group

Friends of Leap Valley

Based in Downend, they offer conservation work.

Email: marylewis@blueyonder.co.uk

Friends of Lincombe Barn Park and Woods

Friends of Lincombe Barn Park and Woods are based in Downend. They support fundraising, conservation work, planning the future of the park and woods and driving forward improvement projects. 

Email: dianepaddon1@gmail.com

Hallen

Hallen Residents Association

Hallen Residents Association are based in Hallen. They support fundraising and planning.

Hanham

Friends of Avon Valley Woodlands

Friends of Avon Valley Woodlands are based in Hanham. The group helps look after the Avon Valley Woodlands Local Nature Reserve. They run practical workdays and hold events throughout the year.

Email: avwoodlands@gmail.com

Friends of Hanham Hall Park

Friends of Hanham Hall Park are based in Hanham. They support the preservation and conservation of the park as a tranquil local haven. They also promote habitat for leisure and educational purposes.

Email: friendsofhanhamhallpark@hotmail.com

Friends of Hanham Mount

Friends of Hanham Mount are based in Hanham. They support the preservation and promotion of historic structure.

Email: john.goddard@southglos.gov.uk

Hanham Wheels Park Management Group

Hanham Wheels Park Management Group are based in Hanham. They help with the skate and BMX park, fundraising and work related to building new facilities.

Email: mikeopenshaw1941@googlemail.com

Friends of Magpie Bottom

Friends of Magpie Bottom are based in Hanham. They support with practical conservation work and fundraising.

Email: r_c2012@hotmail.co.uk

Kingswood

Friends of Kingswood Park

Friends of Kingswood Park are based in Kingswood. They support all events in the park such as fundraising, planning the park’s future and some practical work may be possible.

Email: friendsofkingswoodpark@gmail.com

Tree Life Centre (TCV)

The Tree Life Centre is based in Kingswood. They manage the tree and wildflower nursery at Grimsbury Farm and provide opportunities for volunteering. They also offer practical conservation work and qualifications. 

Website: Tree Life Centre

Email: b.hall@btcv.org.uk

Friends of Cock Road Ridge

Friends of Cock Road Ridge are based in Woodstock and Cock Road. They hold practical conservation activities on meadows, pond, community orchard, trees. 

Email: axtons2ghm@aol.com

Longwell Green

Berenda Drive Residents Group

Berenda Drive Residents Group are based in Longwell Green. They support with management and conservation.

Longwell Green Community Centre

Longwell Green Community Centre is based in Longwell Green. They manage the community centre and its sports facilities. 

Phone: 0117 9323722

Email: longwellgreencomcentre@hotmail.co.uk

Mangotsfield

Friends of Springfield Park

Friends of Springfield Park are based in Mangotsfield. They raise funds to improve the play facilities, discourage anti-social behaviour and protect wildlife.

Email: colin.cascade@blueyonder.co.uk

Olveston and Tockington

Olveston and Tockington Countryside Group

Friends of Olveston and Tockington Countryside Group is based in Olveston and Tockington. They hold practical conservation workdays and events. 

Patchway

Friends of Charlton Common

Friends of Charlton Common help to protect, preserve and promote the common. They work to improve facilities and signage and hold activities for residents. 

Phone: 01179 503719

Email: mikemurch@sky.com

Patchway Conservation Group

Patchway Conservation Group is based in Patchway. The group manages areas of conservation importance in Patchway by holding practical workdays and events. 

Email: clerk@patchwaytowncouncil.gov.uk

Pilning and Severn Beach

Pilning and Severn Beach Local History Group

Pilning and Severn Beach Local History Group is based in Severn Beach and Pilning and is interested in local history and the interpretation and promotion of historic sites. 

Staple Hill

Friends of Page Park

Friends of Page Park are based in Staple Hill. They are active in planning the park’s future and raising funds for improvement projects in the park. There is also gardening group. 

Email: lornamarie27@hotmail.co.uk

Soundwell

Friends of Soundwell Playing Fields

Friends of Soundwell Playing Fields are based in Soundwell. They raise funds towards conservation projects and improving amenities in the park. 

Stoke Gifford

Splatts Abbey Wood Conservation Group

Splatts Abbey Wood Conservation Group is based in Stoke Gifford. The group holds practical workdays and events to help conserve the woodland. 

Email: splattsabw@gmail.com

Thornbury

Friends of Filnore Woods

Friends of Filnore Woods are based in Thornbury. They help to plan and manage the site and hold practical conservation workdays. 

Email: filnorefriends@gmail.com

Thornbury in Bloom

Thornbury in Bloom is based in Thornbury. The group aims to stimulate and promote interest in improving the environment through trees, shrubs, flowers and landscaping. 

Facebook: Thornbury in Bloom

Tytherington

Tytherington Countryside Group

Tytherington Countryside Group is based in Tytherington manage green spaces and common land for nature and conservation. 

Warmley and Siston

Friends of Kingswood Heritage Museum and Warmley Gardens

Friends of Kingswood Heritage Museum and Warmley Gardens are based in Warmley. Volunteers can help with fundraising for the museum and gardens and help to provide visitors with a great experience. 

Website: Kingswood Museum

Phone: 0117 9605664

Email: kingswoodmuseum@gmail.com

Friends of Warmley Golf Course

Friends of Warmley Golf Course help to improve facilities on the golf course for all the different user groups such as walkers, golfers, dog walkers and wildlife lovers. 

Email: slthomas@blueyonder.co.uk

Friends of Warmley War Memorial Park

Friends of Warmley War Memorial Park help to raise funds for improvement projects in the park and to plan for the park’s future. 

Email: sistonpc@hotmail.co.uk

Warmley and Siston Community Gardens

Warmley and Siston Community Gardens group helps to preserve, develop and enhance open spaces in Warmley as valuable, historic, recreational, sustainable and educational assets.

Volunteers can get involved in events and fundraising for the Warmley Signal Box, built in 1918 on the old Bath and Mangotsfield railway line. 

Email: jacquie.stephens@yahoo.co.uk

Friends of Siston Commons

Friends of Siston Commons work to preserve and enhance all the common land in the Parish of Siston. 

Email: friendsofsistoncommon@outlook.com

Wick

Friends of Wick Golden Valley Nature Reserve

Friends of Wick Golden Valley Nature Reserve support the planning and management of the local nature reserve and provide practical workdays and events. 

Website: Friends of Wick Golden Valley

Wickwar

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust are based in Yate and Wickwar. They support the management of Lower Woods including weekly practical workdays and events.

Website: Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust

Phone: 01452 389968

Wickwar Playing Fields Association

Wickwar Playing Fields Association is based in Wickwar. They manage the playing fields for recreation and raise funds towards improving facilities on-site. 

Email: johnfbroad@btinternet.com

Willsbridge

Friends of Willsbridge Mill

Friends of Willsbridge Mill are based in Willsbridge. They manage the local nature reserve, providing practical workdays and events. 

Willsbridge Mill Community Refresh

Willsbridge Mill Refresh is based at Willsbridge Mill. They are working to regenerate the grade II listed mill and barn buildings for community use. 

There is a community café and the group run local community events. They also manage the adjacent land to increase the biodiversity of the area and encourage people to access and enjoy this open space. 

Email: mail@wmcr.org.uk

Winterbourne

Winterbourne Countryside Group

Winterbourne Countryside Group deals with the management of local nature reserves, workdays and events. 

Yate

Avon Wildlife Trust: Southwold Group

Avon Wildlife Trust has a local group based in Yate and Chipping Sodbury. Their activities include practical workdays to manage and conserve nature and wildlife locally as well as events and talks. 

Website: Avon Wildlife Trust

Friends of Brinsham Park and Lake

Friends of Brinsham Park and Lake support fundraising, planning the park’s future and improvement projects in the park.

Email: keith.parry@crawco.co.uk

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust

Based in Yate and Wickwar, they support the management of Lower Woods including weekly practical workdays and events.

Website: Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust

Phone: 01452 389968

Friends of Ridge Woods

Friends of Ridge Woods support planning future management and also offer practical workdays and events.

Website: Friends of Ridge Wood

Email: info@ridge-wood.org.uk

Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve Conservation Group

Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve Conservation Group support the management of the local nature reserve, practical workdays, planning works and events.

Website: Wapley Bushes Conservation Group

Friends of Yate Common

Friends of Yate Common support the practical conservation and help planning the future management of the common.

Website: Friends of Yate Common

 

Training

We offer free training courses for volunteers. These include:

  • First Aid
  • project leadership including risk assessments and safe use of hand tools
  • water safety course for those working near or in water
  • operating and maintenance of brushcutters and strimmers
  • operating rechargeable electric power tools
  • working at height for those installing and maintaining bird boxes
  • conservation and ecology

Site specific courses may be available for your group such as coppicing, scything and orchard skills. 

You can email greenspace.volunteering@southglos.gov.uk for more information.

Plan a volunteering event

You can plan a volunteering event for your group.

Email communityspaces@southglos.gov.uk to let us know the information below or to get permission.

Events that need permission from us

Events that need permission from us include: 

  • picnics
  • group activities
  • trail markers
  • interactive walks (for example, foraging and wild art)
  • large events with over 30 people

Permission from us must be requested at least 3 weeks before the event in held. 

We recommend letting us know earlier to make sure the details are agreed before you advertise the event.  

Guided walks and wildlife surveys 

You do not need permission to plan a guided walk or wildlife survey that is for observation only but you must tell us 3 weeks before the event is planned. 

Make sure you tell us about the number of people expected to attend, the location of the walk or survey and the planned route. 

Insurance

Events organised for the public other than guided walks and surveys require public liability insurance. This should be held by the group or by an external activity leader if they are leading an event.

Friends group event

If a friends group invites the public to join them in a regular low risk activity notification or permission is not needed.

For these events, members of public need to fill in a volunteer information form which should be kept with other volunteer details.

Waste collection

If your event or activity will generate waste that will need collection, you must email waste.management@southglos.gov.uk

We will provide you with coloured bags and let you know where bags need to be left for collection. 

Beta This is our beta website, your feedback can help us improve it.