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.