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Title

Gardening Volunteer

Organisation

The Woodlands Farm Trust

Distance from the search postcode

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Website

http://www.thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org This link will open a new window.

What you will be doing

The Woodlands Farm Trust has 3 main gardening areas:
- The Cottage Garden –welcomes farm’s visitor, being located near the main building, at the entrance. The garden contains a variety of annual and perennial plants that includes ornamental plants as well as fruits and vegetables.
- Education Growing Area – 6 raised beds designated for the educational events and schools visits. The garden aims to support the children and young people learning where the food is coming from
- The Arena Garden – a wide growing area with 2 poly tunnels, 8 raised beds and green area which has being used in the past for food production for a local school.
We are looking for volunteers who are willing to help us managing and developing the gardening areas presented above.
If you’re an experienced gardener happy to share your skills and knowledge with others and ready to get on with daily gardening task, this opportunity might be the right one for you.
If you don’t have any or too much gardening experience but you are interested in the topic, willing to learn and ready to potter around, get it touch and we’ll be happy to teach you the ropes.
Horticultural qualification and/or experience in gardening would be an advantage. However we are welcoming beginners and happy to train them on the site.

Gardening Volunteer Role covers a range of tasks specific to the site and season. You’ll have the opportunity to work as part of team alongside other volunteers as well as independently.
Based on your experience, availability and interests you will be able to deliver a variety of tasks as follow:
- General garden maintenance: trimming, coppicing, mowing, digging raised beds, weeding, fixing raised beds, fencing
- Sowing seeds across the year to maintain a succession of plants
- Watering and feeding plants
- Transplanting plants, repotting
- Cultivation (looking after the plant throughout the seasons)
- Propagation and division (taking cuttings, collecting seeds, separate plants etc)
- Building new raised beds, redesigning beds
- Soil maintenance (digging over, manuring, composting, mulching)
- Harvesting
- Preparing plants for selling or give away
- Composting
- Gardening tools maintenance
- Working with a garden budget (set up a budget, purchasing gardening materials, record income/outcome etc.)
- Gardening admin (keeping a gardening journal, report and record activities, progress, interact with visitors)

Activities

Gardening

Skills & Attributes

Skills Description

What skills you need: - Capacity to work as part of a team and follow instructions. - Capacity to deliver independent work - Happy to work outdoors in all weather conditions - Interest in gardening and willing to expand your gardening knowledge and skills - Reasonable fit (the role will involve physical work, bending, kneeling, stretching, carrying) - Capacity to report and record activities and progress in written and/or verbal form. - Gardening/horticultural skills and knowledge would be an advantage

What is in it for you

Gardening volunteer position offers you the opportunity to get involved in hands on activities through which you could learn and expand a variety of gardening skills. You’ll be working alongside other volunteers and have the opportunity to share your skills and learn from others. A full induction will be provided for you in your first few days. Your volunteer manager will be there to help you and provide you with adequate training to help you fulfil your tasks and objectives. Specific training, tailored to your needs and interests can be provided for you during your volunteering service as agreed with the volunteer manager.

Time Commitment

Driving Licence & Vehicle Required

Travel Expenses

Available in multiple locations

Further location details may be provided below.

Contact Person

Hannah Ricketts

Role Address

The Woodlands Farm Trust 331 Shooters Hill Welling Kent

Postcode (See Google maps below)

DA16 3RP

Directions

By Bus: 89 (Slade Green - Bexleyheath - Welling - Shooters Hill - Blackheath - Lewisham) and 486 (Bexleyheath - Welling - Shooters Hill - Queen Elizabeth Hospital - Repository Road - Charlton Village - New Charlton - North Greenwich). Both buses stop near the Farm gate. By Train: Welling Station is a 20-minute walk or connects with the buses. Lewisham and Blackheath also connect with the 89 bus. Falconwood Station is about 20-minutes walk via the Green Chain Walk. By Car: Limited parking is available during opening times.

Number of volunteers required

10

How to find out more

Contact Hannah Ricketts at admin@thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org