IF volunteering is one of your New Year's resolutions, the National Trust is a great place to start.

The conservation charity is looking for volunteers to help care for historic places throughout Herefordshire and there are lots of ways to get involved; from tending to plants in The Weir Garden, or welcoming visitors as a room guide at Croft Castle to pitching in with children's crafts and theatre performances as an events volunteer at Berrington Hall.

Ana Vaughan, visitor experience manager at Croft Castle said: 'We see volunteers from all walks of life, from families and groups of friends to those who've retired but aren't ready to put their feet up just yet. And there's much more flexibility to volunteering than you might think, whatever time you can give you'll be making a real difference.

'As a charity, we rely on volunteers to help us look after special places like Croft Castle, we simply wouldn't be able to do the work we do without their help and boundless enthusiasm. If anyone's considering volunteering this year, you can find out more and see what opportunities there are near you by visiting our website, or give your local property a call, we'd love to hear from you'.

In addition to working in beautiful surroundings and playing your part in helping care for some amazing places, volunteering with the National Trust provides the opportunity to learn new skills, make new friends, take part in exclusive behind-the-scenes talks and tours - and of course, there's always plenty of cake!

To find out more about volunteering at National Trust places in Herefordshire visit nationaltrust.org.uk/volunteer