Our culture

From the time I went to the EWT HQ at Fingringhoe Wick to see if they had any jobs, to the point where I became a Wildlife Trust employee, took 9 years. First I had to go back to college to get a degree, second I had to get as much conservation experience as possible and third I had to be successful at interview. It took three attempts but finally my passion for water vole conservation got me through the door. Since then I’ve not only been involved with bringing beavers back to Essex for the first time in 700 years, but I’ve had the opportunity to lead the UK Water Vole Steering Group and champion the species that originally got me interested in mammal ecology.

Working for the Wildlife Trust has been an education in itself. You learn so many skills from TV appearances to identifying animal droppings. The latter may not be everyone’s idea of a good day out but essential skills like this open up the ability to read the landscape.

We work with a talented and wide-ranging team of staff both in the office and out in the field. No day is the same as the next. But the most important thing is a passion to try to make things better for wildlife. When someone writes to me to say they have seen their first otter signs after going on one of my training days, it is a delight. That person now wants to look after the river because they understand it is home to species that will not survive if we accept rubbish and pollution as a part of everyday life. I count myself lucky to feel good about going to work on a Monday morning. That might be the day I bring a species back to a river where they haven’t been seen for decades.

I have worked at Essex Wildlife Trust for 20 years in several different roles and in that time, I have been very fortunate to work with and learn from amazing and inspirational staff, volunteers and friends from other organisations.

I’ve had the opportunity to work on many projects at different scales, including large habitat restoration projects. Despite the inevitable frustrations and challenges, it is incredibly satisfying to see projects come together often over several years and see the tangible change on the ground with wildlife responding and flourishing.

Essex Wildlife Trust has given me every opportunity to develop the work roles that I hold, and I have always been fully supported with both internal and external training and continuing professional development. This is an organisation that cares and wants everyone to grow and thrive both in their roles but also as people.

I enjoy the variety of work that I cover, some days I have my wellies on out on a site, other days I’m indoors buried in a spreadsheet, staring at maps or on a Teams call. Essex is a big county and I visit some very interesting sites and see amazing wildlife.

I also appreciate that I have ownership of the work I do and the flexibility of how and where I work. I can be located at home, in the office, hot desking at one of our Nature Discovery Centres or be out on site.

Whatever I have achieved it has been through working with my colleagues in a supportive team setting. We all want to do the best for wildlife, the environment, and people. I know we really do make a difference.

I’ve always had an interest in wildlife and the environment around me, so getting the opportunity to use my design skills to help Essex Wildlife Trust showcase the great conservation work that they do was a dream come true.

Highlights of the job so far have been getting to help roll out the new Essex Wildlife Trust brand, working on new signage for their Nature Discovery Centres and Parks, and getting creative freedom on their member's magazine each quarter. I’ve also been able to take part in various other nature-related activities with the communications team. Two of my favourite experiences with the team have been getting to plant new hedgerows to help hazel dormice, spotting glow worms and getting to pet a rhino. The rhino encounter came about because Colchester Zoo is looking to work with Essex Wildlife Trust more and more in the near future.

In my role I get to work with staff from all over the Trust and can say that all of them are wonderfully supportive of each other. They will always try to help you to solve a problem, even if its not technically within their job remit. I started my role during lockdown, so having this support around me was brilliant. I’ve also been able to further my own design knowledge through specific training and by linking up with other design colleagues across the Wildlife Trust movement.

Hands down, this is my favourite role in my career so far!

As the Wilder Communities Manager, I am responsible for the delivery and development of our growing portfolio of Team Wilder projects.  

Team Wilder projects involve building relationships with local people, communities, and councils. I love going out to various sites across Essex, whether they are urban or rural, and listening to the project ideas individuals and communities have. The enthusiasm and passion many people across Essex have has filled me with a sense of hope, and the potential our local spaces hold is incredible.  

With much of the urban landscape in Essex expanding, and around 80% of the county’s population living in them this work is extremely impactful. A lot of my work focuses on supporting communities and councils to bring those spaces back to life, managing them in a way that benefits both wildlife and people. Cumulatively if every city, town and village were to have wilder open spaces and wilder streets, the impact would be huge! 

To support me push this important work forward, Essex Wildlife Trust enrolled me onto a 6-month National Academy Community Organising Level 3 training course. A particular highlight was the Team Wilder face-to-face day where colleagues from across The Wildlife Trust movement came together to share learnings and experiences to help better our practice. Cake was of course mandatory and many friends were made along the way! Essex Wildlife Trust has given me the opportunity to work alongside many innovative and passionate people across the conservation sector from leading botany focused workshops with our Essex Ecology team, to partnering with the Dedham Vale AONB Team and supporting our Marine and Coastal Recovery Team protect key beach nesting bird sites.  

I am thrilled and also honoured to be part of a community who want to protect and enhance wildlife across Essex, a place I have always lived.