Want to volunteer at the forest garden?
If you are thinking of coming along here are a few guidelines.
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Please arrive at 10am on your first session so we can show you round with any other new volunteers. If this is a problem let us know. We are very flexible and you do not have to stay for the whole session or commit every week.
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Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and wear proper boots. We have some rain coats and wellingtons if the weather’s bad, and some cover and a shed with a wood burning stove if it’s really chilly.
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We will supply you with hot drinks and biscuits throughout the day and a hot meal at lunchtime.
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You can take home whatever vegetables are available. But be aware that there won’t be much - if anything - during the winter and early spring months and often what vegetables we have will be used to feed everyone during the workday.
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Tasks are varied throughout the season – from planting and weeding to more physical tasks such as shifting manure up a steep slope. Please let us know if some of the physical tasks are too demanding.
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We are quite hard to find so make sure you know the way!
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For volunteers that commit to the garden for a few months we are happy to find relevant training courses for them. We can also pay reasonable travel and other costs.
Please be aware that during work days pupils will be at the garden for school visits or work experience. Please be respectful and mindful of this work.
If you don’t want to do gardening but still want to support us there are many ways you can. For instance, have you got expertise on funding applications or indeed any other skills that could be beneficial in helping us administer the charity? Or, would you like to help us monitor and record the wildlife, flora and fauna in the woods (see our Queensdown Woods management plan).
Finally, as with all small charities, fundraising is a constant problem and we are delighted when supporters set up regular standing orders. You could also organise a benefit concert, do a car boot sale or run a marathon for us!
If you would like us to keep in contact, then please give us your name and email address so we can keep you informed of news and upcoming events (We will not pass on your email address to any third party).