Celebrating our volunteers
We depend on the support of our volunteers and aim to make volunteering at Somerset Wildlife Trust a welcoming and rewarding experience, recognising their efforts throughout the year. Our pin badge scheme recognises the long term commitment of individual volunteers.
The volunteer awards recognise and celebrate the work of volunteers across the county who have gone above and beyond, giving so generously of their time and skills to create a wilder Somerset. The volunteer awards are presented at our AGM.
Volunteers Awards
Thank you for your nominations. The nomination form is now closed until September 2022.
The Volunteer Awards 2021 were announced at our AGM. Find out more about the awards and this years winners below.
Categories
Individual: Awarded to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to a wilder Somerset volunteered with or in association with Somerset Wildlife Trust within the last 2 years.
Group: Awarded to couples or groups who have made a significant impact for wildlife in Somerset. Groups may be part of, associated with or independent from Somerset Wildlife Trust.
Youth: Awarded to individuals or groups who are under the age of 25 years who have volunteered with or in association with Somerset Wildlife Trust within the last 2 years.
Long-service award: Awarded to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution and have volunteered with or in association with Somerset Wildlife Trust for at least 10 years. May be a current volunteer or someone who has retired within the last 2 years from the date of award.
Criteria
The nominations should reflect how the nominees have contributed to one or more of our aims to create a wilder Somerset.
Creating a nature recovery network in Somerset: Delivering practical solutions for natures recovery to combat the ecological crisis and achieve climate resilience.
Building a movement for natures recovery: Engaging and inspiring others to learn about, love and take action for nature.
Telling Somerset story: Recording, monitoring and surveying wildlife to understand and inform.
Rules
- Any individual who volunteers for or in association with Somerset Wildlife Trust can be nominated.
- Groups may be part of, associated with or independent from Somerset Wildlife Trust but the primarily focus of the work for which they are being nominated must be within Somerset. “Group” may refer to a formally constituted group or an informal group/couple if what they have achieved has been a joint effort and where it would not be appropriate to single out any individual.
- Where applicable, volunteers can be nominated under more than one category
- Any supporters, staff and volunteers can submit one or more nominations
- Volunteers may only receive an award for the same role once in any five-year period
- Trustees cannot nominate another Trustee
- Volunteers may receive additional awards for different volunteer roles within SWT
- Awardees will be chosen by a panel of staff and volunteers.
Our volunteers are vitally important to us, without them we would cease to exist as an organisation. At our volunteer awards, we celebrate their achievements and recognise their dedicated work to support Somerset Wildlife Trust’s aims of creating a Wilder Future for all.
Pin badge scheme
Kindly funded by the Battens Charitable Trust, our pin badge scheme recognises the long term commitment of individual volunteers working for wildlife across Somerset.
Pin badges are awarded at 5, 10 and 15 years of volunteering. We also have a special "thank you" Bittern badge for volunteers and supporters. The species illustrated on a our badges were chosen to represent some of the iconic wildlife and habitats of Somerset.
Get in touch
Find out more about volunteering by emailing volunteering@somersetwildlife.org or calling 01823 652 400