The Lake District National Park welcomes over 19 million visitors a year, with many of them attracted by the beautiful stretches of water here. The role of our Volunteer Boat Crew is to positively engage with a wide range of lake users, from open-water swimmers to powerboat drivers. Our volunteers work with our staff Lake Ranger team to promote safe enjoyment of the lakes by providing information, support, advice and education to visitors.
Our Boat Crew Volunteers will:
This role is technical and has some essential skills all Boat Crew volunteers must have:
There are several other skills and qualifications that would be an advantage to a prospective Boat Crew volunteer:
Our Boat Crew volunteers need to be on the water when the lakes are busiest. This means our duties are focussed on weekends, public holidays and some evenings. A patrol tends to last between 5 and 6 hours, and is undertaken in pairs. Due to the nature of the role we ask that volunteers undertake a minimum of 12 Boat Crew duties a year (including training) and are able to commit to the role for a number of years.
Boat Crew volunteers will receive an extensive training programme to ensure they can confidently and safely assist and advise lake users in a variety of situations. This will include a full induction programme, First Aid training, in house boat familiarisation and handling training and regular team get-togethers to review lake activity.
This role is perfect for volunteers who are looking to share their knowledge and passion about the Lake District, and how to access and enjoy the lakes safely and responsibly. Our Boat Crew volunteers enjoy a unique perspective during their volunteering, offering a fresh take on our spectacular landscape.
In addition, you'll receive:
We are not currently recruiting for this role. If you'd like to be kept informed when this, and other, volunteering opportunities become available please register your interest in volunteering with us.
You can give the Volunteers Service a call on