Roots run deep with longest serving country parks volunteer

conservation tags forestry tags volunteering tags Volunteer Paul, senior ranger Dave and his dog sit in the front of a car smiling at the camera

Hi everyone, my name is Paul Tunnicliffe and I’ve been a volunteer with Leicestershire County Council’s country parks for over 25 years. This makes me the longest serving volunteer within the country park service.

I started volunteering through my Youth Training Scheme (YTS), who put me in touch with the rangers at Snibston Colliery Park whilst training for my current job as a horticulturalist at Beaumanor Hall.

Initially, I worked at a range of different sites, including Snibston, New Lount Nature Reserve and the 1620s House and Garden. I also worked on sites in North West Leicestershire, such as Saltersford Valley, Oakthorpe and Donisthorpe Woodland Park.

I am now based at Bosworth Battlefield and Heritage Centre at Sutton Cheney. Our main sites are Market Bosworth Country Park, Shenton Cutting, Bagworth Heath and the Battlefield. I typically work every other weekend and could be called upon to attend any of our 17 sites around the county. This really keeps me on my toes and makes sure no two days are the same.

My job is to help maintain the sites, liaising with public and helping to run events. I also help the rangers with their everyday tasks, from health and safety checks to pruning trees, as well as emptying dog bins and reacting to car park breakdowns.

A lot of my work covers habitat management. This includes woodlands, tree thinning, coppicing and tree planting. I also handle wildflower meadow management and creation, pond and wetland management and on occasion heathland management. This has taught me so much about managing different landscapes which I have been able to take into my role as a horticulturalist.

My favourite activity is getting involved in events. I have done everything from guided walks to willow weaving. The best to be involved with though are holly wreath making at Christmas and the bat walks.

I’ve made many memories in my quarter of a century as a volunteer but my favourite has to be when David Luther (Senior Ranger at Bosworth Battlefield Country Park) and I were out on a boat on the lake at Snibston with a chainsaw to cut a tree which had fallen down on the island and I inadvertently pulled the plug out, so we had to frantically row to shore before we sank!

I have found that over the 25 years of volunteering there is more to do and an ever-increasing reliance on volunteers. This makes our jobs even more important and essential to the services we support.

I’d strongly encourage anyone to volunteer. It teaches you new skills, allows you to meet new people and gives you the chance to give back to your community. It has given me a lot in my life.

Find out more about volunteering opportunities.