Wildlife charity receives grant for trainee scheme based at Peterborough's nature reserves

A national wildlife charity has been awarded a £248,399 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for a new trainee scheme, which will be based at three reserves in Peterborough.

The Froglife Trust is a wildlife charity committed to the conservation of amphibians and reptiles.

Its ‘Transforming Lives: Froglife Trainees’ project will work with up to 15 aspiring conservationists, over the age of 16, for over three years.

The trainees will spend a day each week at one of three reserves that Froglife manages for wildlife in Peterborough: Hampton Nature Reserve, Boardwalks and Thorpe Meadows and Eye Green.

The project hopes to encourage people from backgrounds which are currently under-represented in the conservation sector to join the fight to preserve and protect nature.

Kathy Wormald, Froglife CEO, said: “We know that there are many barriers to people from lower socio-economic and diverse ethnic backgrounds and we hope that the Transforming Lives project will help to break these down and breathe new life into the conservation world.”

The trainees will complete a comprehensive nature conservation training programme to equip them with the knowledge, skills and experience required to work as a Reserve Warden.

Drew Bennellick, head of land and nature policy at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: "Engaging young people in nature is a vital step in combatting our declining natural heritage, and it’s thanks to National Lottery players that we are able to fund important trainee programmes like this.”

For more information visit The Froglife Trust website by clicking here.