Meet our volunteers: Candy Cridland

By Alice Oakley 

Volunteer Coordinator, Rye Harbour Discovery Centre

Which groups do you volunteer with at Sussex Wildlife Trust? 

I’m an Education and Welcome & Information Desk Volunteer at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. I felt a very warm welcome at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. All the staff and volunteers are friendly and welcoming.

Why did you decide to volunteer?

When I first moved to the area it was during the pandemic and when lockdown ended, I wanted to get out and meet people. I had recently retired from teaching and missed working with children. I came to the Discovery Centre to find out about volunteering. The café was suggested but then I found out about the education team, and I thought that would be a perfect fit. I loved being able to work with children again. During the winter months, I joined the Welcome Desk Volunteer team. It was easy to join as a volunteer.

What do you enjoy about your role, and do you have any favourite wildlife spots or activities?

I really enjoy working with children and helping them to connect with nature, exploring the nature reserve and the beach. Children are so enthusiastic and interested in learning, it’s wonderful. In my welcome desk role, I enjoy meeting members of the public, giving them ideas for walks and recommending places of interest in the local area. Being here has helped me learn more about the nature reserve and really improved my bird knowledge.

What are the benefits for you with volunteering?

I enjoy working with other volunteers and the staff. It’s nice to chat with other volunteers at get togethers organised by Alice. Meeting so many different people has been really nice.

Volunteering has also helped me to learn about wildlife; plants, birds and insects. The reserve is a lovely place to be; standing at the front desk looking out at the view is wonderful. It’s good to have a focus and volunteering gets me up and out of the house. I appreciate the flexibility of volunteering with Sussex Wildlife Trust; it fits around my other commitments.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Feeling inspired? If you'd like to find out about volunteering at the nature reserve, click here.