Pod Volunteer Reviews

Name: Pod Volunteer
Address: 5, Noverton Lane, Cheltenham, Prestbury
Rating: 4.77

4.8 Rating 488 Reviews

97 %

of reviewers recommend Pod Volunteer

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4.8

Based on 488 reviews

Customer Service
Communication Channels	Email, Telephone, Live Chat
Queries Resolved In	Under An Hour
Customer Service	4.8 out of 5

About Pod Volunteer:

Pod Volunteer is an award winning non-profit organisation arranging ethical, inspiring and supported volunteering opportunities around the world since 2001

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Email:

info@podvolunteer.org

Location:

5, Noverton Lane, Cheltenham
Prestbury
GL52 5BA

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Pod Volunteer 5 star review on 5th October 2024

Helen F

Pod Volunteer 5 star review on 23rd September 2024

Elise G

Pod Volunteer 5 star review on 14th September 2024

Sue E

248

Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Sort by: Most Recent Most Recent Highest Rated Filter: None None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“I loved this trip. Learnt so much even though I am 62. Everyone very helpful, welcoming and knowledgeable. Wonderful food. Very tiring as I wanted to do everything even though I do not do a lot of exercise at home but bed very comfortable so slept like a dream every night. Wish I had taken my own wellies as that would have helped my feet. Take wellies, waterproof walking shoes and trainers so you always have something dry if going in the rainy season.”

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Posted 1 month ago

Hi Dawn, thanks so much for letting us know how everything went in Costa Rica. I'm not surprised to hear you slept well after all the volunteering activities you were involved in! Thanks also for the very useful feedback on footwear. Best wishes, Alex

Posted 4 weeks ago

“We did turtle and wildlife conservation in Costa Rica. Communication was great and had help every step of the way. The actual experience was amazing and a week I will never forget. U do a lot and learn a lot but u also get quite a bit of free time to go explore the surrounding area. Would absolutely recommend”

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Posted 1 month ago

Thanks so much Sam and I'm so glad you had a chance to explore a bit of this incredible country too! Best wishes, Alex

Posted 4 weeks ago

“My 13year old daughter and I are just home after a week with the Wildlife Rescue Project in Thailand and we had a wonderful time! Pod were excellent and it felt like we were in extremely safe hands. It was very reassuring having someone so knowledgeable to answer all of our questions and make recommendations about things to do before/after the project. Everything were smoothly and was exactly as we expected. The project itself was wonderful and it felt like a real privilege to get to know some of the animals, help out with such important work and learn about how complex rehabilitating and releasing wildlife can be. Be under no illusion that this is an easy ride! The early starts and long days meant we slept well. But working alongside a lot of likeminded and friendly fellow volunteers and the feeling of wanting to do our best for the animals made it easy to keep going. We have taken away some fantastic memories and there is no doubt that we’ll be doing some more volunteering with Pod in the not too distant future.”

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Posted 1 month ago

Hi Kat, great to hear about your volunteering experience in Thailand with your daughter. As you say, the help is very much needed with so much work to do to look after the many animals there, your efforts are very much appreciated! Hope you are settling in back at home ok! Best wishes, Alex

Posted 1 month ago

“My daughter had an absolutely fantastic time volunteering in Costa Rica in October with Pod Volunteer. She did 8 days at Reserva Playa Tortuga as a 17 year-old solo traveller and felt safe and supported. Alex was on hand to answer any questions before the trip and while out there she found everyone immensely helpful and pleasant from the permanent researchers and organisers at the reserve to the other volunteers from around the world. It has been a really eye-opening, confidence-inspiring experience for her, not to mention her dream come true. Alex organised for her to be there at a time when there were quite a few other 17-18 year olds too, though in fact she really enjoyed getting to know and working with the people of all ages and nationalities, as well as loving all she learnt through working with the animals. Thank you!”

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Posted 1 month ago

I'm so pleased to hear how well your daughter got on in Costa Rica! Thank you, Alex

Posted 1 month ago

“What a fantastic experience. So much more than turtle conservation work. Looked after, monitored & observed: Turtles, butterflies, bats, monkeys, snakes & frogs, bird-watching, coral restoration and community beach clean too!. Intense work schedule 24*7 drove the experience with early starts and late finishes most days, which meant we were never together as a community - even for meals. This was disappointing. I wasn't expecting to wade through 2 rvers and trek through jungle to get to the beach to do night patrols (5km on e on the beach) in the rain either. Kept me fit and lost done weight too! Overall an amazing experience.”

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Posted 2 months ago

Hi Helen, it's great to hear about your experience and that you were able to get involved in so many different aspects of conservation while you were in Costa Rica. That's very useful feedback about the schedule and the physical challenges too. Thanks also for the amazing clip of the hatchlings! Best wishes, Alex

Posted 2 months ago

“In had a great time volunteering with Wildlife Sense. I feel like Pod Volunteering helped me every step of the way anf were always there if I had questions.”

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Posted 2 months ago

Thanks so much for your lovely review - it's great to hear that you had such a great time volunteering! Gemma - Pod Volunteer

Posted 2 months ago

“Pod volunteer has been so helpful in answering all the questions I’ve had and making me feel fully prepared to go travelling by myself for the first time! I felt very supported throughout. I also had so much fun volunteering in Costa rica for a month! It was a great experience!!”

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Posted 2 months ago

Hi Ariene, Im so glad you enjoyed the combo of Wildlife Rescue and Turtle & Wildlife Conservation in Costa Rica, such an amazing country! Thanks for all your help on both projects and hope you are settling in back at home ok. Best wishes, Alex

Posted 2 months ago

“My daughter Elise loved the U18s trip to the turtle and marine conservation project in Kefalonia. The organisation both in the run up to trip and during the visit was excellent with fantastic leaders. Elise has talked so much about the conservation activities and everything she has learnt. Supporting hatching turtles to make their way to the sea was clearly an highlight! Elise is really keen to go back to the project. Such an amazing experience for a first trip abroad (without parents) which will leave lifelong memories.”

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Posted 2 months ago

Thanks Colette, Elise was a great member of the team! I hope she has a chance to take part in another conservation initiative soon. Best wishes, Alex

Posted 2 months ago

“The Under 18s week in Kefalonia doing Turtle and Marine Conservation was a fantastic once in a lifetime opportunity. The leaders were so helpful during the lead up to the trip and throughout the week to made sure everything went smoothly. I really enjoyed all the activities such as harbour surveys, beach walks and snorkel surveys. The team from wildlife sense gave educational and interesting presentations which helped us with the voluntary work but also provided us with more knowledge of marine life and conservation. One of the highlights of the trip was experiencing baby turtles hatching and helping them make their way to the sea. I met so many amazing people and have been inspired to do more marine conservation in the near future!”

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Posted 2 months ago

Thanks very much Elise, I'm so pleased to hear about your experience on the trip and that it will hopefully lead onto more conservation involvement in the future! It was great the group was able to be involved in so much including helping the hatchlings to sea! Thanks for all your effort and enthusiasm. Hope you are settling in well back at college. Best wishes, Alex

Posted 2 months ago

“I had an amazing time and used this for my gold DofE residential. It was so easy as almost all the organisation is done for you. Would definitely do it again!”

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Posted 2 months ago

Thanks so much for your lovely review and choosing to complete your Gold DofE Residential whilst joining a Pod Volunteer project - we would love to help you plan another trip! Gemma - Pod Volunteer

Posted 2 months ago

“Our family (kids are age 12yr&9yr) recently joined a Marine/Turtle conservation project in Kefalonia through Pod Volunteer, and we couldn't be happier with the experience! From the start, Pod Volunteer was fantastic, helpful, organised, and communicative, making the whole process easy and stress-free. The project itself was incredibly rewarding as well as educational, allowing us to get hands-on with vital turtle conservation efforts. The local team was passionate and knowledgeable, and Pod Volunteer’s excellent ongoing support and coordination during the trip made everything run so smoothly. Our kids loved every minute, and we all learned so much. If you're considering a family-friendly, impactful volunteer experience, we can’t recommend Pod Volunteer highly enough!”

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Posted 2 months ago

Thanks very much for your kinds words, we love arranging family trips and getting young people involved in conservation work so it's brilliant to hear such positive feedback about the experience. Best wishes, Alex

Posted 2 months ago

“Volenteering on the turtle project has been an amazing trip for myself and my 11year old daughter. We had 6 fantastic days doing harbour surveys, a night and early morning shifts watching and assisting baby turtles go on their journey into the big wide world, plus some great snorkelling, were we saw a fully grown turtle, dolphins and a monk seal. I can highly recommend this activity, it was very well organised, the hosts were professional, enthusiastic and taught us so much about marine life and how our actions have an inpact on the turtles. Truly amazing!”

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Posted 2 months ago

Thanks Sue, great to hear about your and your daughter's experience this summer and how much you took away from it. You saw alot of other sea life too! Best wishes, Alex

Posted 2 months ago

“Pod was so so helpful prior to my trip to Thailand. They gave me a booklet that covered everything I possibly needed to know. Alex checked how my trip was going and made sure I was ok. Overall would definitely recommend Pod; they have so many trips available which I will definitely be doing in the future!!”

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Posted 2 months ago

Thanks so much Sophie, I'm really glad to hear how well it went with your Thailand Elephant Care project. I bet you are missing the ellies! Hope to help with another trip in the future. Best wishes, Alex

Posted 2 months ago

“I did this with my daugthers age 11 and 12, and we had the best time! We have leant a lot about turtles and their environment they are facing with the global warming issue. We enjoyed the early moring surveys, and learnt to spot the tracks of baby turtles that hatched in the night and have made their way into the sea! The all night survey was great fun and very excited for the girs as they were allow to stay up all night and fall asleep on the beach when they wanted! To be able to do something worthwhile, in the most a beautiful surrounding of Kefalonia is just amazing! Thanks POD for making this possible and organising this trip for us, we would definitely going back!”

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Posted 3 months ago

It's great to hear about your family experience in Greece this summer, thanks so much for being part of the family trip and I hope you get another chance to volunteer as a family in the future! Best wishes, Alex

Posted 3 months ago

“I recently had an amazing experience volunteering for the Turtle Conservation Trip in Kefalonia, Greece, organized by Pod Volunteer. The opportunity to contribute to the conservation efforts for loggerhead sea turtles was truly inspiring. The team at Pod Volunteer provided exceptional support and guidance throughout the trip, ensuring that every volunteer felt prepared and valued. Our days were spent monitoring nesting sites, learning about the turtles' behavior, and assisting with beach clean-ups, all of which provided valuable insights into marine conservation. The accommodations and facilities were comfortable, and the local cuisine was a delightful addition to the experience. I highly recommend this trip to anyone passionate about wildlife and conservation, as it offers a meaningful way to make a positive impact while exploring the beautiful island of Kefalonia.”

Pod Volunteer 5 star review on 7th September 2024

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Posted 3 months ago

Hi Kyla, thanks for your lovely comments, it was brilliant having you on the team and thanks for your positivity and all the effort you made to help make a difference to the turtles and marine environments of Kefalonia. Hope it's not feeling too cold back at home in comparison to the warmth of Greece! Best wishes, Alex

Posted 3 months ago

“My daughter really enjoyed the whole experience. Any questions, issues or problems that we had before she went was dealt with quickly and efficiently by the POD team.”

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Posted 3 months ago

Thanks Sharon, it was great having your daughter on the team! Best wishes, Alex

Posted 3 months ago

“POD Volunteer was great from start to finish for our daughter. They are very organized and responded quickly to queries. She had a lovely time in Greece and learnt a lot about the turtles and their habitats.”

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Posted 3 months ago

Thanks Stephen, that's great to hear. Hope she is settling back in at home after an exciting week in Greece! Best wishes, Alex

Posted 3 months ago

“Had been following Pod Volunteer on social media and finally booked. My daughter and I did the famiky experience with turtle conservation in Kefalonia. It was amazing. One of the best experiences I have had and totally loved it. The communication before was spot on and the team in Kefalonia were welcoming and informative. Daughter now wants to go on the teen trip. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Pod Volunteer to book through. Great experience from start to finish. When can I book again ...”

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Posted 3 months ago

Thanks so much Sharon, it was brilliant having you and your daughter on the family team, and what a difference you made with all the action that week! Hope you have had a great last bit of the summer. Best wishes, Alex

Posted 3 months ago

“Alex Rachel and Mike where exemplary team leaders, the activities where well planned and provisioned, it was great working with wildlife sense and the turtle conservation team they have on Kefalonia, I will certainly be recommending to my friends: and I will remember it fondly”

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Posted 3 months ago

Thanks so much Hayden, it was great having you on the trip!

Posted 3 months ago

“This has been such an amazing experience and opportunity which our daughter thoroughly enjoyed, thank you so much. A great balance of activities and free time, lots of interesting talks on elements of conservation with hands on conservation tasks too. A great group of young people to be away with and fantastic leaders. A gorgeous location, good facilities nearby to explore independently as well as trips further afield by ferry and coach. Would totally recommend to anyone considering this trip!”

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Posted 3 months ago

That's great to hear your feedback on the U18 Turtle and Marine Conservation trip in Greece, we are so pleased to hear how much your daughter enjoyed it! Best wishes, Alex

Posted 3 months ago

Pod Volunteer is rated 4.8 based on 488 reviews