Bright lights

My journey to this point has been a little unorthodox. Having completed my degree in French and classical studies, my main focus was to move to London, find a job and start paying off my debts. While I had interests, I could not be too choosy, and before long I found myself in charge of customer care for a small company manufacturing toothpaste. After a few years, I realised I wanted to do something more meaningful and decided to cross from the commercial to non-profit sector. This was easier said than done as I only really had administrative skills. At last, I registered with a recruitment agency which recruited for charities and before I knew it they had offered me a position as a consultant within their agency!

Right people

Although fate led me to this point, working at the agency turned out to be a great experience. I was surrounded by positive colleagues, unmotivated by personal profit, and got to meet masses of inspirational clients from a wide range of local and international charities. The downside to this insider knowledge was the realisation that the environmental sector was one of the most competitive to get into.

Though it was a wrench to leave, five years later I felt it was time to make a concerted effort to find my real niche. I knew I would have to make sacrifices — the salary I was destined to earn would not support me in London, no matter how ascetic my lifestyle. So I made the break from London to set myself up in Reading.

Town to country

Warburg Nature Reserve, near Henley, was my first port of call. I joined the Tuesday work party as winter arrived and discovered the joys of working in the cold and wet (there is really no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing!). Warburg was a wonderful introduction to Oxfordshire’s natural heritage — there are not many places where you can truly feel cut off from urban life, but Warburg provides that peaceful space under its beech woodland and amongst its flower-rich meadows.

Learning the ropes

Having definitely decided that I wanted to work outside, I figured I needed to start learning about what I was seeing. A voluntary conservation trainee position became vacant at BBOWT’s head office and I applied, hoping my lack of a relevant degree might be overlooked. Interviewers convinced, I went on to spend a year on the trainee programme, gathering many varied practical skills such as fencing, tree-felling, working with livestock and species identification. Luckily, I was able to find a part-time, paid job in a factory to finance my fledgling career.

A year later I started in a paid position at BBOWT, helping to manage the 27 BBOWT reserves in Oxfordshire. Whilst it can be hard physical work, I have the privilege of spending those days against a stunning backdrop.

The days of a whirring server in the background is now replaced by clear birdsong at Chimney Meadows; the daily battle through the crowds to Prêt à Manger superseded by lunch alfresco looking out over the Thames at Hartslock; being hemmed in by high rises is a distant memory now substituted by towering oaks at Foxholes. I really have found the true meaning of job satisfaction.Get involved

To find out more about BBOWT’s reserves, or about volunteering with the trust, visit www.bbowt.org.uk or call 01865 775476.