With Volunteer's Week (1-7 June) shining the spotlight on the contribution made by volunteers across the UK, research commissioned by VisitEngland has shown four in five (83%) millennials believe it is important to take actions to protect or improve the environment and local communities, and almost two fifths have considered volunteering on a short break or holiday in the UK. We round up some of the best ways you can take part in initiatives and give back whilst you are on holiday at home:

Working Holidays

Restore our waterways and go on a Canal Camp
Various dates and locations
If you are looking to do something a bit different this year, why not check out Waterway Recovery Group's programme of Canal Camps? These week-long working holidays offer an opportunity to take part in a canal restoration project, making a noticeable difference to Britain's unique canal heritage.  Each Canal Camp costs just £70 and includes three meals a day plus endless tea and cake. If you're free in July, head to Lichfield Canal (6-13 &13-20 July) which runs seven miles through 30 locks and alongside the picturesque Fosseway Heath Nature Reserve. Here you'll help undertaking lock maintenance, excavate the canal channel and restore the towpath wall. In August (24 -31)you could discover the hidden gem of The Chelmer & Blackwater navigation, which runs through a largely unspoilt part of rural Essex, connecting Chelmsford with the tidal estuary of the River Blackwater at Heybridge Basin whilst helping restoration work. For more dates and locations visit www.waterways.org.uk/wrg/canal_camps/canal_camp_dates  

Go on a working holiday with The National Trust
Various dates and locations
From wildlife-spotting to cider-making, clearing pathways and planting in gardens, the National Trust's Working Holidays are an amazing way to see the country whilst also helping care for some of its most wonderful historic, buildings, parks and coastline. Make new friends, learn a new skill and get away from it all. Learn dry-stone walling and have a go at climbing in the same week along the North Devon coast where, you'll restore the old dry-stone walls on Baggy Point headland (31 August - 7 September, £260) and then spend two days learning to climb under expert tuition from Paul of Bluedot Adventures. Or perhaps you'd like to help conduct a biosurvey at Woolbeding Estate, (22 June-29 June, £170) where you'll help assess the diversity of the estate whilst immersing yourself in the natural wonder of the South Downs. Opportunities range from a weekend break or a weeklong stay and include lovely accommodation. For more information visit: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays/

Wildlife and Woodlands

Take a short course with The Conservation Volunteers
Various dates and locations
From planting trees and wild flower meadows, to building stiles, clearing footpaths or creating new food growing projects, The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) offer hundreds of opportunities, that aim to help thousands of people across the UK to discover, improve and enjoy their local green spaces and create happier, healthier communities. If you're interested in learning about the environment as a hobby or as a way of advancing your career you might consider attending one of their short courses where you can get involved with everything from learning woodwork design to conducting a butterfly survey. Or maybe you'd like to join one of their guided Health Walks. For the more information on dates and location visit: www.tcv.org.uk/volunteering  

Get back to the land with WWOOF in the UK
Various dates and locations
Get hands-on experience with WWOOF UK on organic farms, gardens and smallholdings – all offering food, accommodation and learning in exchange for practical help on the land. WWOOF UK is a membership charity that aims to teach holidaymakers about low-impact lifestyles and the benefits of organic growing, all through a variety of worldwide home-stay projects that offer sojourns of varying length and type. You may be asked to garden, do some weeding, plant trees or feed animals. To see more opportunities visit www.wwoof.org.uk  

Watch those birds with RSPB
Various dates and locations
Enthusiastic birdwatchers and wildlife spotters will be thrilled to see that the RSPB have a vast range of opportunities to help out on Reserves. You can sign up to help monitor bird populations at their fantastic South Essex Marshes on dates throughout the year or, during the spring and summer, you could help with a dragonfly survey along the spectacular Exe Estuary, where you'll help monitor levels whilst enjoying the estuary's incredible landscape of open waters and big skies. Opportunities vary from one day/ week to sessions on Saturday and Sundays. For more information see: www.rspb.org.uk/volunteering 

Clean living

Beachwatch not Baywatch on a beach clean with the Marine Conservation Survey
Various dates and locations
England has some of the finest coastlines in the world, why not help keep them pristine and teeming with wildlife by combining your next visit to the seaside with a day at a Beachwatch beach clean and survey? Run by Marine Conservation Survey (MCS), the volunteers at a Beachwatch beach clean and survey record the litter they collect so MCS can track trends and decide where to focus campaigns to stop rubbish from getting to the beaches. To volunteer at a beach clean, all you need to do is find an event and sign up to attend. Join a Beachwatch at Brighton Pier (8 June) or the historic Robin Hoods Bay in Whitby (22 June) where you can combine with a trip to the re-opened Whitby Abbey. Or, head to Cromer on (30 June) to help out and enjoy its famous pier. Their annual flagship event, The Great British Beach Clean happens in September (20-23) around the UK. For more locations and date throughout the year, check their events calendar here. Find out more: www.mcsuk.org/beachwatch/volunteers 

Get involved with a Project with Keep Britain Tidy
Various dates and locations
Keep Britain Tidy is a leading environmental charity that works to eliminate littering, reduce waste and improve public space. They run a range of fantastic schemes throughout the country which you can get involved in whilst travelling. For example, you could join the Midlands-based WatersideCare project where you help look after local brooks, lakes, rivers and canals, by helping conduct water quality testing and wildlife surveys. Combine it with a trip to Birmingham, home of reputedly more canals than Venice. Or why not help their #LitterHeroes which aims to help eradicate litter from parks, beaches and streets throughout the country.
www.keepbritaintidy.org

Plastic Patrol beach cleans
Various dates and locations
Join the #PlasticPatrol movement – the nationwide campaign to rid our inland waterways of plastic pollution, to combat the global plastic crisis – at one of its clean-up events across the country. Take part in a free paddle boarding session along England's picturesque canals and rivers, whilst working with a team of like-minded volunteers to collect litter. For more information and dates for upcoming events keep an eye on their Facebook page.

Surfers Against Sewage beach cleans
Various dates and locations
SAS host two huge volunteer Beach Clean events every year – the Big Spring Beach Clean and the Awesome Autumn Beach Clean. The organisation also provides an ABC guide on how to set up your own Beach Clean. For more information on upcoming activities see: www.sas.org.uk/our-work/beach-cleans/

For more information on what's new in 2018 and 2019 visit: http://media.visitengland.com/   

Ends

For further press information please contact:

Louise Ferrall / Eve Commander / Evelina Andrews
VisitEngland Press Office 
Tel: 07901 513616 / 07971 497 079 / 07500 008 737
Email: vepr@visitengland.org

Notes to Editors:
About VisitEngland

• VisitEngland's focus is on the development and delivery of the new Discover England fund, for product development to ensure that bookable regional product is being sold in international markets. This activity will also benefit the domestic industry by building engagement and partnerships between and across regions and developing product that will be attractive to both domestic and international markets.
• Our work is underpinned by robust research and customer insights. You can access the latest in-depth market intelligence and statistics on visitengland.org/insight-statistics.
• Tourism in England is worth £106 billion, and supports 2.6 million jobs.