Who we are
The Fairfield Association is run entirely by volunteers. No one is paid – not the trustees, not the officers, not the people who have given years of their lives to this place. So behind every walk in the reserve, every child on a swing, and every apple picked in the orchard, there are hundreds of individual acts of kindness, freely given.
Those acts take more forms than are always visible. Some of us are out in all weathers with muddy boots, laying hedges and clearing paths. Others are at home writing newsletters, managing accounts, or responding to messages from the public late in the evening. Some bake cakes, some apply for grants, some photograph butterflies, some fix gates.
What unites every one of us is that we choose to be here, and we give what we can – and that shared commitment is something precious and worth protecting.
How we treat each other
Because we are all volunteers – equal in that regard, whatever our role – everyone who gives their time to Fairfield deserves to feel welcomed, valued and respected. That means all of us, all of the time: those who have been here for decades and those who joined last week; those who are out on the reserve every Wednesday and those who turn up once a year and make that one day special.
Kindness matters here. We look out for one another, make space for people to contribute in the way that suits them, and recognise the value in every contribution. When disagreements arise – as they sometimes will in any community – they are handled with patience and goodwill.
Bullying, harassment, and intimidating behaviour – whether face to face, online or in writing – have no place in the Fairfield Association. This applies to everyone, in every role, without exception.
Here when it matters
Looking after one another is part of what it means to be a Fairfield volunteer, and everyone who gives their time to this community deserves to feel safe and supported in doing so.
The great majority of volunteers never encounter anything of concern here – and we hope that is always the case. But because everyone’s wellbeing matters, a clear and fair process exists for anyone who needs it. Any concern – whether something experienced personally or something witnessed – will be taken seriously, handled with care, and dealt with in confidence. Full details are set out in the Fairfield Respect Procedure, which is available on the Fairfield Association website.
That process exists because this community is worth looking after – every muddy boot, every baked cake, every quietly answered email and every person behind them.