This state of the art hide boasts a tiered, covered hide, Discovery room jam packed with interesting facts and CCTV coverage of the lake as well as a tower which offers a different perspective on the lake.

Role available:

• Public Information and Wildlife Officer – great role for a people person who also has a passion for our local wildlife

Please see the description below:

Role Title: Public Information and Wildlife Officer – Wildlife Discovery Centre

Department: Rangers

Location/Facility: Fishers Green, River Lee Country Park

Working with: WDC - Customer Service Officers and Ranger team

Time Commitment: Any day of the week from 10:00 – 16:00 (half or full day shifts)

Purpose: To provide assistance, advice and park wide information to the public visiting the Wildlife Discovery Centre.

Details of Role

• To help run the Wildlife Discovery Centre (WDC) within the Lee Valley Regional Park as part of a team of volunteers.

• To open and close the Discovery Room and Tower. The Bittern Hide will be opened and closed by contractors but can be opened and closed by volunteers where necessary. To actively engage with members of the public to:

  • Promote all areas and activities within the Park.

  • Ensure Discovery Room activities are available for the public, including additional children’s resources in the school holidays and oversee the safe use of the activities and optical equipment available for public use. Proactively seek new volunteers for the WDC primarily but also for the park as a whole

  • Provide a positive visitor experience for visitors to the Park

  • Provide information on what birds and wildlife are in the area.

  • Showcase the wildlife viewable through the wildlife cameras.

  • Collate wildlife sightings and visitor number figures.

  • To re-stock refill the bird feeding stations outside the hide, replenish water for the hot drinks machine and re-stock leaflet displays where necessary.

  • To help visitors in accessing the viewing tower lift when required.  Where able to use and be comfortable operating the evacuation chair provided in an emergency (full training will be given).

  • To assist in the credit card sales of hot and cold beverages and LVRPA merchandise, this will include daily cashing up of the takings on the electronic system.

  • To assist with ensuring that the WDC as a whole is clean, tidy and presentable to visitors

Personal Attributes

• Outgoing with good people skills.

• Confident and willing to interact with visitors.

• Willing to work as part of a team or alone.

• Knowledge and interest in birds / wildlife (desirable but not essential).

• Happy to follow and implement all instruction/decisions given by LVRPA Staff with a positive attitude keeping personal views and opinions separate and under no circumstances discussed with members of the public.

What’s in it for you?

An opportunity to:

• Work as part of a volunteer team within a large well respected organisation

• Develop skills and confidence in customer service and talking to members of the public and use of an electronic till system

• Meet new people and have fun

• Uniform provided for periods of duty – (after probation period)

• Develop your knowledge about birds and wildlife

• To see the diversity of birds and wildlife within the Regional Park at close quarters 
  
  Full information and training is provided on the birds and wildlife you will see, no specialist knowledge needed