Yorkshire Wildlife Trust announced today that the effort put in by its volunteers in 2011 amounted to over half a million pounds worth of labour. The Government calls this Big Society, but the Trust' s volunteers have been getting stuck in for over 65 years already.

Volunteers who have a love for the county and its wildlife have been helping Yorkshire's largest nature conservation charity deliver its vision for Living Landscapes and a Living Sea. From beach cleans at Spurn to stuffing envelopes in the office, the charity has managed to ride out the recession so far, thanks to this huge amount of support.

The Trust's volunteer manager, Garry Jones is humbled by the passion and dedication shown by these volunteers: "We have people of all ages turning up to help look after our nature reserves, even in hard, wintry weather. Others give up their time to pack envelopes or sell cards in the busy run up to Christmas. Collectively, the effort is immense!"

Rob Stoneman, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said;
"The charity owes its success to the efforts of volunteers. From the establishment of the Trust 65 years ago to the current board of trustees who oversee the organisation, and the hundreds of other people who get involved, volunteering is and always will be our lifeblood."

"We are hugely grateful for all their support as without them we would have a much tougher job and would never be able to deliver as much for Yorkshire's wildlife."

Collectively, the effort put in by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust volunteers amounts to nearly 10,000 days work, which is incredible. Supporting all this volunteering comes at a cost, but the Trust knows this is far outweighed by the benefit. Much of the funding needed to operate comes from the Trust's 33,000 members. Support is also received from funding partners. Thanks to the support of Postcode Green Trust - funded entirely by the players of People's Postcode Lottery, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is able to equip its volunteers with tools and materials, give them essential training and ensure they get the supervision they need.

Lizzie Dealey who started her career at the Trust by volunteering on nature reserves in East Yorkshire is keen to encourage more people to give it a go. "If you love Yorkshire's wildlife, why not get involved with volunteering at the Trust - you never know, it could be a life changing experience and lead to a whole new career."

The Trust would like to thank each one of them for all their work this year.