Rivington Heritage Trust (Charity number 1064700) works to develop Rivington Terraced Gardens for the benefit of the public and the environment. The Trust aims to conserve, preserve, maintain, protect and enhance for the benefit of the public all aspects and features of the environment, land and structures in this area of outstanding natural beauty and historical importance.
Since 2016, we have been delivering a programme of active Conservation Volunteering. We work to improve the quality of the gardens, manage the woodlands and help to create richer biodiversity, increase accessibility and support local people of all abilities to participate in projects that benefit nature, their own wellbeing and the wider community.
Across this period we have transformed the gardens, uncovering paths, recreating the lawns, and making visible and safe the iconic structures. We have worked with an average of 151 volunteers per year who have provided a collective input of 9313 hours of their time per year. We support volunteers with a range of practical, active, educational and social activities. This includes practical conservation activity including management of woodland and vegetation, litter picking, conducting guided walks, supporting school visits, undertaking heritage research and interpretation, event planning, set up and delivery, crafting and art creation, fire marshalling and site safety patrols.
Through participation in Conservation Volunteering we improve Nature Connectedness and mental wellbeing.
The programme also actively targets individuals that are socially isolated through volunteer recruitment campaigns and partner referrals. Through participation we aim to improve social connections amongst local people and build resilience across our volunteer group. This can be seen in Phil's Story https://www.rivingtonterracedgardens.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering/phils-story/