A guide to our volunteer tour guide!

Andy Heelas joined Earth Trust as a volunteer in February 2020 to lead guided tours of some of our green spaces and share the fascinating secrets of their past.

Retiring from a 29-year career in the Police Service, Andy decided that he wanted to give some time to a worthwhile cause, close to his heart.

“The reason I chose Earth Trust was because I love the area in and around ‘The Clumps’ as I have visited and enjoyed it all my life. I was also very impressed with how the area was being managed by Earth Trust.

“When I first started leading the tours, I used to take the groups to the archaeological dig behind the Earth Trust buildings. This was fascinating as I have always been interested in local history. The added bonus of having such a rich picture right on my door step is amazing!

“I enjoy delivering the tours as it is really nice to share my passion for the area with like-minded people but also to learn from them! Each time I have learnt something new from different people attending the tour.”

Most recently, Andy has been leading ‘A Walk back in Time – History of the landscape‘ guided tours around the Wittenham clumps area. Along the walk, Andy offers a fascinating insight to the landscape’s Ice Age beginnings, the recently unearthed Roman remains, and discovers what we can learn from the past in order to make our modern way of living more sustainable.

Andy has a wealth of knowledge about the local Oxfordshire area, as well as a passion for history and archaeology. Through answering questions along the way, every walking group gains a different experience.

“It’s a very enjoyable experience for me as I am outside, in a beautiful environment, sharing interesting information with new enthusiastic people.”

Our thanks to Andy for sharing his story with us. If you’d be interested in coming along to one of the guided walking tours, please keep an eye on our What’s On pages for details of forthcoming events.

  • Volunteer with Earth Trust

    Become an Earth Trust volunteer and you’ll be part of a dedicated team, passionate about making a difference to sustainability, biodiversity and wellbeing using the power of natural green spaces.

  • Volunteer benefits

    Earth Trust is a friendly, positive and collaborative place. We run a year-round programme of events and activities, exclusive to our volunteers.

  • About Us

    Earth Trust is an environmental charity. We champion accessible natural green spaces and we want to give people the opportunity to engage with their environment through the beautiful green spaces we look after.