A TINY environmental charity was able to look after more of the region’s waterways thanks to a huge amount of voluntary support last year.

The Wear Rivers Trust, based at Low Barns Nature Reserve at Witton-le-Wear, near Bishop Auckland, has just four staff so the 900 hours of help it got from 120 volunteers during 2014 was a huge help towards essential work to improve and protect the health of the River Wear and its tributaries.

It included monitoring riverfly and fish populations, tree planting, improving riverbank stability with live willow and stream litter clearances.

More than 80 hours were spent doing 50km of walkover surveys focussed around the River Gaunless, which meets the River Wear at Bishop Auckland, to identify any issues and more than 20km still needs surveying. Such work informs future projects.

Angler and volunteer, Jim Wood, said: “Not only are the practical habitat improvements important for the health of the river, but the social and physical exercise aspects are an added benefit for everyone taking part.”

Education officer Lizzie Willows was employed by the charity after volunteering to gain practical experience to complement her academic studies.

She said: “I would always encourage anyone searching for a job to volunteer in their chosen field if they can because it helps build a network of contacts as well as giving valuable experiences to draw on.”

Wild Rivers Trust director, Peter Nailon, also a long term volunteer at the trust, said: “Volunteering opened many doors allowing me to gain the experience to develop a second career in environmental work, having started out in logistics.”

To volunteer with the Wear Rivers Trust email lizzie.willows@wear-rivers-trust.org.uk or call 01388- 488867.