A shared love of the Broads unites an army of people who give their time and skills freely to care for Britain's magical waterland.
They are the volunteers who work tirelessly to provide that gold star service for others to enjoy the Broads.
Some 150 Broads Authority volunteers aged from 18 to over 80 and from all walks of life carry out wide-ranging tasks which add value to the work of its staff both on land and water. They range from professionals, including police officers, teachers and managers, and people keen to get work experience at the beginning of their careers to those that have retired.
Ranger volunteers work alongside the Authority's rangers in everything from boat handling to litter picking and help out at least two days a month.
Practical conservation volunteers complement the Authority's construction and maintenance teams in clearing footpaths, mending boardwalks, planting trees and controlling scrub and invasive species and can do as much as they feel able each week.
A close-knit Friday group of women has been undertaking conservation work for 25 years. Some of the group's members, who have undertaken brush cutter training and are highly skilled in a range of activities, have been turning out every week, whatever the weather, well into their 80s.
Described by Broads Authority Member Alan Mallett as 'the lifeblood of the National Park family,' volunteers enable the Authority and Broads based charities to provide a service way beyond their funding.
Broads Authority Volunteer Co-ordinator Beth Williams says: 'We would struggle to do so much without our volunteers. They enable us to provide a gold star service and help us to keep the Broads looking magical.'
The relationship is symbiotic with the volunteers benefitting from training, skill development, making new friends and keeping fit. Volunteers also get to experience inaccessible places in the Broads not normally open to the public where they see rare wildlife. Occasionally their volunteering leads to new jobs and careers.
Four new members of staff – two new summer rangers, a receptionist and administrative officer – are all volunteers.
Anna Perrott, who graduated in Environmental Biology last summer began volunteering with the practical volunteers one day a week to get experience. A Broads lover from Stalham who enjoys sailing, she has been involved in scrub clearance, installing mooring posts and removing invasive species. Last month she was appointed to the Authority's reception team and is continuing to volunteer.
Mike Spires, a former social services manager, and Brian Jarvis, a former maths teacher from Stalham High School, became practical volunteers when they retired.
They trained as ranger volunteers which led to sharing a summer job taking trips out on the Authority's solar boat Ra. During the winter the pair continue to volunteer together one day a week on the Broads.
'The work is very varied,' says Mike. 'We could be tree cutting, brushcutting, mending quay headings, painting navigation posts on Barton Broad or picking up bags of litter.
'I do it because I love the Broads. It's a remarkable area like nowhere else in the UK. I am proud of it and want to show it off at its best.'
Brian, who now helms the Electric Eel wildlife water trail at How Hill National Nature Reserve during the summer, says: 'I enjoy the companionship of volunteering, getting out in the fresh air, and doing work which keeps me fit and healthy.
'The level of the work you do is entirely up to you. I have a motor cruiser on the Broads, and it's a way of giving something back.'
The Broads Authority advertises volunteer vacancies on its website at www.broads-authority.gov.uk/authority/volunteer/volunteer-vacancies. Volunteering can be quickly accessed through Quick Links.
The Beavers (Broads Environmental Action Volunteers) which began 30 years ago with staff and their families, meet every second Sunday in the month.
The Broads Authority also works closely with the Broads Society's volunteers, Broadsword, who clear river banks during the winter. Visit www.broads-society.org.uk and click on Broadsword.
Norfolk Wildlife Trust offers all kinds of volunteer opportunities on www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk; email: info@norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk
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