Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a park ranger?
The Royal Parks Charity have announced they are looking for 30 volunteer rangers to roam the historic Greenwich Park as part of a new bid to help people get more from their visits.
Maybe you're looking for a new way to spend some time, or just curious as to what the role of a park ranger actually entails, but the opportunity certainly offers a unique draw, and is expected to be "highly competitive."
The new recruits will be identifiable by smart orange uniforms, and will help share the stories of the over 500 year-old Greenwich Park and help them discover its wildlife and heritage.
Greenwich Park
The Royal Parks has issued the call for volunteers after launching its Greenwich Park Revealed project, which will revamp large areas of the park with £8 million funding.
Jo Haywood, the park’s volunteer ranger co-ordinator, said: “All eight Royal Parks are historic, but Greenwich’s history is unrivalled. It was the birthplace of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, is the site of two ancient monuments; a Romano-Celtic temple and an Anglo-Saxon Barrow cemetery and stunning formal gardens.
The Royal Parks' Jo Haywood, volunteer ranger coordinator
“The rangers will help bring this history to life and encourage visitors to explore beyond the General Wolfe statue, a hot spot in the park due to its perfect vantage point of the London skyline.”
Around 590 years old, Greenwich Park is a Grade-1 listed landscape which is also part of the UNESCO Greenwich Maritime World Heritage Site.
It is home to The Royal Observatory, the Prime Meridian Line, a Baroque 17th Century landscape and stunning views.
The iconic Thames-facing park is visited by around five million people each year.
Cindy Sheehan, who already volunteers as a ranger, said: “Greenwich Park has been my local park for the past 25 years. It doesn’t matter how many times you visit it – you see something different every day.
"What’s surprised me most about being a Volunteer Ranger is how much you learn, whether that’s from staff, other rangers or visitors themselves. If you love history, wildlife and being outdoors then this will be perfect for you.”
The Ranger's House - former home of the Greenwich Park Ranger, and featured in TV show Bridgerton - NETFLIX
The ranger service has been running in Bushy and Richmond since April 2019, and The Royal Park say they have "reached an amazing number of park visitors to enhance their experiences of the parks through information and interpretation."
The job opportunity is described as "highly competitive" and the comes with a strict mark scheme and application process.
In the job description, the Greenwich Park volunteer ranger would be responsible for welcoming visiting visitors to the park, hare information and enhance people's visits.
"The Royal Parks are amazing and important spaces within London nature and for people. We are introducing Volunteer Rangers to the parks to engage with ark users and offer information on the parks', their wildlife, history and heritage.
"Greenwich Park was the first royal park in London and has a rich natural and cultural history we want to help people learn about."
Anyone interested can find out more at www.royalparks.org.uk/rangers, with applications closing on May 4.
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