Rachel Jones

I am a Director of The Rewilding Community, a Community Interest Company (CIC) that seeks to promote the wellbeing of people who live in the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire. We create opportunities for them to spend quality and productive time in greenspaces, as well as being able to care for, prevent deterioration of and restore natural places which we visit.

This is a unique and rewarding role that offers a sense of purpose and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the community. As a parent of a child with special educational needs, it is also close to my heart as one of our aims is to work to support those with SEND in accessing wellbeing activities in greenspaces.

The Rewilding Community is quite new, so my role so far has been to work with the other Directors in seeking out funding opportunities, identifying potential projects, and finding community groups that we want to work with. I particularly enjoy doing something that is quite different to my day-to-day work, and allows me to use my skills and experience to benefit the community.

I have been a school governor in the past but this is an entirely new role to me. It does present challenges, but also fosters personal growth and a sense of accomplishment. If you are passionate about making a difference and are driven by a sense of social responsibility, volunteering can be a fulfilling and purposeful way to spend your time.