VOLUNTEER rangers are needed for Bushy Park.

The role of the volunteers, highly visible in their bright orange jackets, is to enhance the visitors' enjoyment of the park through education and engagement.

They offer advice about the risks of the deer at certain times of the year as well as highlighting the wide range of wildlife and various species of trees and flowers.

According to the Friends of Bushy and Home Park the benefits are: learning about Bushy Park, being in the open air, at one with all that's living in the Park, sharing time with like-minded volunteers and sharing knowledge with visitors.

The volunteer service has been in operation since 2019 but the numbers of visitors including those who arrive by car, dog walkers, ramblers, cyclists and runners, has dramatically increased during the pandemic as people have better appreciated the value of the Park on their doorstep.

A spokesperson said: "The opportunity is highly competitive and due to our Volunteer Rangers being key representatives of The Royal Parks we have a strict mark scheme and application process.

"We want to know why you want to join us and what experiences and skills you can bring to the service."

The application form consists of various questions including: 'What attracted you to the role of Volunteer Ranger? And what do you hope to gain from the opportunity?'and 'Please tell us about any experiences, skills and interests you have which are relevant to the role and make you a good fit to join the Community Volunteer Ranger Service?'

If you are interested go to www.royalparks.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer-with-us/volunteer-community-ranger/apply-to-be-a-volunteer-ranger