Streets and open spaces volunteers


Could you work with our Community Engagement team to help us improve the quality of your local area? Could you help us share our message that a cleaner, greener Cambridge starts with you?

Our team of volunteers is already making a vast improvement in helping to keep our city cleaner, greener and safer.

Whether you’re a local resident, community group, business, or school, if you want to help we’ll be very grateful. In return you’ll learn new skills, meet new friends, and exercise in the fresh air.

We send all volunteers regular emails of events running across the city. Regular activities include:

  • working with a group to improve a green space or open space
  • joining a volunteer group in one of our local nature reserves – scroll down to find out more
  • helping us improve and renovate public benches and railings around the city
  • joining one of our litter-picking events or tidy your local streets in your own time
  • helping us remove graffiti around the city
  • helping us share the message at community clean-up days
  • helping us care and manage the city’s trees

We’ll provide all equipment, training and guidance. There are no minimum or maximum hours required – whatever time you have to spare will be greatly appreciated.

Apply for a volunteer role

Alternatively you can contact us to request a copy of an application form via the post.

You can register as a part of your Duke of Edinburgh Award – although we cannot sign off your award paperwork. If you are under 18 years old, a ‘responsible adult’ will need to apply on your behalf and accompany you litter picking. A responsible adult is a person aged 18 or over who is either your parent, legal guardian, or a person who has responsibility for you at that time, such as a member of staff at your school.

All volunteers who sign up with us are eligible to earn time credits. They can be exchanged for a variety of things, from exercise classes to cinema and theatre tickets.

Register to volunteer at an event

When your application to volunteer has been accepted, you can sign up to take part in our events.

Volunteering at a local nature reserve

Volunteers play an important role in the management of our local nature reserves. If you have some spare time, there are many ways you can help us maintain and improve them.

We usually run sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and on one Sunday each month. The work includes a variety of practical tasks, usually on the reserves but sometimes on our other parks and open spaces.

  • We’ll provide all the necessary tools and training, and tea and biscuits.
  • Wear old clothes and strong shoes, and bring waterproofs and a packed lunch.
  • All ages are welcome – children must be accompanied by an adult.
  • Contact your doctor if you are not sure whether you have had the tetanus vaccination.

Feedback

We would like to hear about your experience as a volunteer – your feedback will help us improve our service and future volunteering opportunities. It should only take a few minutes to complete our feedback form.

Is this page helpful?

Website feedback form
Website feedback form

For questions about a service we provide, please use our contact us form

For feedback on our new website, please use our website improvements form

Was this page helpful? (required)
Website feedback form
Tell us why (required)
Website feedback form
Tell us why (required)
Website feedback form
Prove you are a human (required)