Community at the core: recent volunteering in action

Whether supporting cherished community spaces, helping nature thrive, or learning traditional conservation skills, volunteers across Cornwall have been making a real difference in recent weeks.

A team of colleagues from Cornwall Council's Democratic Services team recently used their volunteer day to support a much-loved community gardening project in Penzance.

The beautiful beachside gardens have been cared for by local volunteers for many years, but the group's numbers have gradually declined from 14 volunteers to just two. Founding members Val Cocking and Judy Ellis have seen volunteers move away, change jobs or step back due to ill health, leaving a significant challenge in maintaining the large site.

To help give the gardens a much-needed boost, Democratic Services staff joined forces with volunteers from the Newlyn Flora Group and Councillor Jim McKenna for a day of weeding, mulching and cutting back overgrown vegetation. The combined effort made an immediate impact, helping to restore the gardens and demonstrate the power of community collaboration.

The day ended with a well-deserved break featuring homemade ginger and lemon cake baked by Urban Ranger Becky Pack, alongside plenty of tea and coffee.

Volunteers have also been developing new skills to support conservation work across Cornwall through a series of scything workshops led by renowned instructor Kevin Austin from Skygrove Scythe School, a former British Champion at the Somerset Scythe Fair.

A group of volunteers from the Cormac Volunteer Scheme travelled to Skyegrove near Liskeard for hands-on training in the traditional art of scything. The practical course gave volunteers the opportunity to learn techniques that can be used across Cornwall Council estates and green spaces.

In a separate beginners' scything course, volunteers from established community groups across West Cornwall came together at Helston Cemetery, where a wildlife meadow has been created using traditional land management techniques. 

Participants represented a number of dedicated local groups, including Red River Rescuers in Camborne, Friends of Tregoniggie Woodland and Boscawen Fields in Falmouth.

As part of the course, each volunteer was able to take a scythe home, enabling them to use their new skills within their own volunteer projects and communities. Scything provides a more wildlife-friendly alternative to mechanical mowing, helping to protect insects and other wildlife while managing vegetation in a sustainable way.

These recent activities showcase the incredible contribution volunteers make across Cornwall. 

From revitalising community gardens and supporting local green spaces to preserving traditional conservation techniques, their commitment is helping to create healthier, more vibrant places for people and nature.