skip to main content
The Royal Parks web site uses cookies. By browsing you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Read our cookie policy
  • Home
  • Media Centre
  • Careers
  • Shop
  • Contact us
  • searchsearch
The Royal Parks menu
  • Help Nature Thrive
    • Nature and Wildlife
    • Climate and Conservation
    • How to get involved
  • Parks
    • Hyde Park
    • Kensington Gardens
    • Richmond Park
    • Bushy Park
    • St James's Park
    • The Green Park
    • The Regent's Park and Primrose Hill
    • Greenwich Park
    • Brompton Cemetery
    • Victoria Tower Gardens
  • What's on
    • Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum Jubilee 2022
    • Upcoming events
    • Latest news
    • Blog
    • The Royal Parks Podcast
    • Self guided walks
    • Learn Online
    • The Great Exhibition Virtual Tour
    • Sign up to our Newsletter
    • Event Feedback
  • Managing the parks
    • Park management plans
    • Park regulations, legislation and policies
    • Park strategies
    • Holding events in the Royal Parks
    • Cycling in the Royal Parks
    • Conservation and improvement projects
    • Consultations
    • Licences and permits
    • Policing in the Royal Parks
    • Visitor satisfaction research
  • Support
    • Make a donation
    • Give a significant gift 
    • Leave a gift in your Will 
    • Run, cycle or swim for the parks
    • Hire The LookOut, Hyde Park
    • Become a partner
    • Corporate volunteering
    • Tributes in your local park
  • Learn
    • Learn in our Central London parks
    • Learn in The Regent's Park
    • Learn in Greenwich Park
    • Learn in Richmond Park
    • Learn in Bushy Park
    • Learn in Brompton Cemetery
    • Learn Online
    • Urban Tree Festival School Challenge
    • Green Futures project
  • Get involved
    • Careers
    • The Royal Parks Horticultural Apprenticeship Scheme
    • Volunteer with us
    • Mission Invertebrate
    • The Royal Parks in World War I
    • Play in the Park
    • Photo competition winners
    • Green Flag Awards
  • About us
    • Who we are
    • What we do
    • Procurement
    • Partner organisations
    • Publications
    • Friends of The Royal Parks
    • Contact us
    • Modern Slavery Statement
  • Donate
searchSearch
  • The Royal Parks
  • Help Nature Thrive
    arrow_drop_down
    • Nature and Wildlife
    • Climate and Conservation
    • How to get involved
  • Parks
    arrow_drop_down
    • Hyde Park
    • Kensington Gardens
    • Richmond Park
    • Bushy Park
    • St James's Park
    • The Green Park
    • The Regent's Park and Primrose Hill
    • Greenwich Park
    • Brompton Cemetery
    • Victoria Tower Gardens
  • What's on
    arrow_drop_down
    • Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum Jubilee 2022
    • Upcoming events
    • Latest news
    • Blog
    • The Royal Parks Podcast
    • Self guided walks
    • Learn Online
    • The Great Exhibition Virtual Tour
    • Sign up to our Newsletter
    • Event Feedback
  • Managing the parks
    arrow_drop_down
    • Park management plans
    • Park regulations, legislation and policies
    • Park strategies
    • Holding events in the Royal Parks
    • Cycling in the Royal Parks
    • Conservation and improvement projects
    • Consultations
    • Licences and permits
    • Policing in the Royal Parks
    • Visitor satisfaction research
  • Support
    arrow_drop_down
    • Make a donation
    • Give a significant gift 
    • Leave a gift in your Will 
    • Run, cycle or swim for the parks
    • Hire The LookOut, Hyde Park
    • Become a partner
    • Corporate volunteering
    • Tributes in your local park
  • Learn
    arrow_drop_down
    • Learn in our Central London parks
    • Learn in The Regent's Park
    • Learn in Greenwich Park
    • Learn in Richmond Park
    • Learn in Bushy Park
    • Learn in Brompton Cemetery
    • Learn Online
    • Urban Tree Festival School Challenge
    • Green Futures project
  • Get involved
    arrow_drop_down
    • Careers
    • The Royal Parks Horticultural Apprenticeship Scheme
    • Volunteer with us
    • Mission Invertebrate
    • The Royal Parks in World War I
    • Play in the Park
    • Photo competition winners
    • Green Flag Awards
  • About us
    arrow_drop_down
    • Who we are
    • What we do
    • Procurement
    • Partner organisations
    • Publications
    • Friends of The Royal Parks
    • Contact us
    • Modern Slavery Statement
  •  
  • Donate
    • Home
    • Media Centre
    • Careers
    • Shop
    • Contact us
  • Get involved
  • 
  • Volunteer with us
  • 

Meet the team

The Royal Parks have a dedicated Volunteer Team who support our 1000 volunteers, deliver opportunities alongside coordinators throughout the parks and ensure that everyone’s experiences are of high quality enjoyable volunteering.

Bryony Cross

Volunteering and Programmes Manager

Bryony started her Royal Parks career with the Mission: Invertebrate project, working with volunteers on various invertebrate focussed citizen science projects whilst also volunteering to help with the hedgehog survey, corporate volunteering and other projects whenever time would allow. This inspired Bryony to want to be more focussed on volunteering and initiated the move into the volunteering team.

Bryony now heads up the volunteering team, leading on the strategy and direction of the team, growing the programme and working to help tackle the challenges our parks are facing. Whenever there’s an excuse or opportunity Bryony loves to escape the office and head out into the parks to get stuck in with some practical work and to have a good chat to some of the fantastic volunteers.

Rachel Dowse

Volunteer Officer

Rachel started out as a conservation volunteer herself, and has worked with volunteering groups across South London, including managing a small woodland. Now she supports volunteers of all kinds across the Royal Parks, including regular groups, one off opportunities, and corporate days.

Jo Haywood

Volunteer Officer

Jo runs the Royal Parks' Volunteer Ranger Service in Bushy, Richmond and Greenwich Parks. Having previously been a ranger who managed volunteers, a new role managing volunteer rangers is even more exciting, especially as this service is so new it didn't even exist when Jo started with the parks in 2018!

Jo spends her time planning direction for the service, coordinating the 150+ Volunteer Rangers, recruiting and training new Volunteer Rangers, researching and creating info docs about the parks and spending as much time roaming around the parks and talking to people as possible.

"My role is incredibly rewarding, not only have I been able to set up and deliver TRP's new flagship volunteer programme successfully, but I've also been able to meet so many incredible volunteers. I learn something new every day and love that I can then share this with volunteers as well as so many of our wonderful park visitors."

Alice Owusu-Evans

Volunteer Officer

Alice supports both local and corporate volunteer groups that focus on conservation activities, mainly in The Regent’s Park but also across the other Royal Parks.

Alice’s background is in biology, ecology and nature conservation, and before joining the volunteer team she also followed Bryony’s footsteps working in the Mission: Invertebrate team, and (like Rachel) worked with The Conservation Volunteers at the Railway Fields Nature Reserve in Haringey.

Lisa Stanford

Volunteer Coordinator and Admin. Assistant

Lisa works part-time as the volunteer coordinator for the The Royal Parks.  Her role supports the volunteer recruitment and management infrastructure for the organisation.

Lisa assists with the volunteer registration, induction needs, PPE and ensures volunteers are matched with appropriate work/park. Working closely with Volunteer Coordinators, she helps to ensure volunteers receive satisfaction in the work they participate with, and that the organisation is receiving the support from the volunteers.

Lisa also supports the administration of the Volunteer Team’s financial budgets together with their general administration.



Without our fantastic volunteers the parks wouldn’t be in the fantastic condition they are today and they wouldn’t be such havens for wildlife within London.

Victoria

Brompton Cemetery

“I have undertaken several photographic projects in the cemetery, both for Royal Parks and myself. I also assist at events, showing visitors around and have even done some gardening.

“As someone who is profoundly deaf I can often feel isolated. Volunteering here I have met lots of delightful people from all walks of life. I have also learnt a lot, mostly from going on the tours - I can recognise a lot more birds and trees now!

Emma

The Regent’s Park

“The opportunity to see such a busy part of London when it’s at its quietest has been incredible, and I’ve gained a new insight to the wildlife that can be found in the city.

“I love meeting new people who all share the same passion. You end up feeling like you’re part of an important hedgehog community!

Peter

Kensington Gardens

“I’ve been a volunteer since my retirement in 2018, and aside from learning so much about gardening I really appreciate the social aspect, meeting people from all different backgrounds and being invited to the different social events that are held for volunteers.

About the programme
Meet the team
Enquire here

Help us improve our website by providing your feedback.

Website user survey

close

search
Explore the Royal Parks
  • Hyde Park
  • Kensington Gardens
  • Richmond Park
  • Bushy Park
  • St James's Park
  • The Green Park
  • The Regent's Park and Primrose Hill
  • Greenwich Park
  • Greenwich Park Revealed - Park Restoration Project
  • Brompton Cemetery
  • Victoria Tower Gardens
  • Grosvenor Square Garden
Support the parks
  • Make a donation
  • Give a significant gift 
  • Leave a gift in your Will 
  • Run, cycle or swim for the parks
  • Hire The LookOut, Hyde Park
  • Become a partner
  • Corporate volunteering
  • Tributes in your local park
Media Centre
  • Press Releases
  • Royal Parks News Permit
  • Filming and photography
  • Royal Parks Image Library
  • News Archive
  • Trooping the Colour media accreditation
About us
  • Who we are
  • What we do
  • Procurement
  • Partner organisations
  • Publications
  • Friends of The Royal Parks
  • Contact us
  • Modern Slavery Statement
Connect with us
Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on Instagram
Watch our videos on YouTube
The Royal Parks

The Royal Parks is a registered charity (No. 1172042) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England & Wales no. 10016100 (VAT No. 261 4640 19)

Copyright © The Royal Parks 2016-2022 | Head Office: The Old Police House, Hyde Park, London. W2 2UHTerms & Conditions | Privacy Policy

close

Subscribe to our eNewsletter today

Be the first to hear our latest news and read about upcoming events, learning and volunteering opportunities, fundraising and park improvement projects when you sign up to our mailing list.

Aerial view of Regents