Volunteer heroes

The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) connects people and green spaces - helping improve outdoor spaces and boost well-being.

All volunteers are heroes – donating their time to another person or cause because they have a passion. But what makes a TCV Hero?

The Conservation Volunteers is grateful for each person who comes out, rain or shine, to their local green space to help improve or maintain it. They’re grateful for those who support others in their group, perhaps with practical tasks, to teach someone something new, or to just sit with a cup of tea and talk with each other to alleviate their anxiety. TCV volunteers feel connected to their community and want to see local people benefit from their conservation efforts. They care for the environment and know that their spare hours spent planting trees or creating homes for wildlife will benefit us all.

That’s what makes a TCV Hero. Every year, TCV celebrates all of their volunteers with the TCV Hero Awards and turns the spotlight on a chosen few who were nominated by staff as winners. They love to use this opportunity to showcase what TCV volunteers achieve: for their own health and wellbeing or learning and skills, and for their community and the environment.

Because of COVID-19, they haven’t been able to hold the event they usually do, but they’re still celebrating! Many of their volunteers haven’t been able to go out with them since March but they may have years of volunteering behind them that deserves recognition. While their activities had stopped during lockdown, they heard stories of volunteers helping their local community with food deliveries or cheering up children in their neighbouring streets.

TCV was also impressed by the volunteers who took the lead upon return to volunteering with getting sites back up and running and ensuring the sessions are COVID-secure. Their volunteers cared for others during this difficult time or they may have focused on their own health and their family’s - and they all deserve the Hero title.

Many of TCV’s sessions have resumed with safety procedures in place and aligned with government guidance. TCV knows that lockdown had an effect on their volunteers, with 32% of those surveyed reporting a decrease in their mental health and 72% a decrease in their social connectedness. In time, as more sites and projects open, TCV can get more of their heroes back to volunteering.

It’s the heroes who support charities like TCV that mean this is possible. Without players, TCV wouldn’t be here for their volunteers to make a difference to their lives, their communities, or the environment.

Players of People's Postcode Lottery have raised over £1.4 million for TCV.

TCV wants to thank players for playing People’s Postcode Lottery. Thank to players for being TCV’s heroes.