You can play a part in our vital work by helping out at one of our sites in Warwickshire or Essex, or by promoting Garden Organic locally.
We currently have more than 80 volunteers working at our sites, but we have many more opportunities than people at the moment.
Our volunteers help us to spread our message, improve our gardens, raise income and enable us to do things that would not happen otherwise.
You can help contribute to our development by becoming a volunteer, and some of the roles available are listed below.
Gardeners
Both our sites welcome regular volunteers who want to help in the gardens. You don’t need to be an expert as you’ll be shown what is required and how we approach each task in an organic and sustainable way.
Time required: Ideally suited to people who can help regularly because then you can help work on a particular area or garden and become familiar with it.
Guides
Volunteer guides are required at Garden Organic Ryton to take round pre-booked coach parties and weekend tours. Guides play a key role in explaining the organic approach and our mission to interested visitors, many of whom are new to gardening and organics. Training is given as well as annual updates on new developments, so you don’t need to be an expert before you come.
Time required: Tours last one to one-and-a-half hours. We require guides on weekdays for pre-arranged parties, and at weekends for special events days, and from Easter to September. The more guides we have, the more we can share the work around.
School visits
We are developing our team of volunteers to help us to offer more school tours of Garden Organic Ryton and the Vegetable Kingdom. Guides will take school parties in small groups round the gardens and the interactive Vegetable Kingdom exhibition. Training will be given on working with children in the context of the exhibition.
Find out more about volunteering for our Education Programme here.
Time required: Must be available during term time. School tours will usually be between the hours of 10 am to 3 pm. Hours will be flexible and the more volunteers we have, the more choices volunteers will have on how and when to help.
Events
We are increasing the number of events being held at our gardens and are looking for volunteers to help out on the day. This could include a range of activities from car park duty to admissions, information service to manning a stand. Events are held at Garden Organic Ryton.
Time required: Major events are advertised in The Organic Way and on the events page of this website. Your help for a whole or a half day would be great – and we will build in breaks so that you can visit the event yourself.
Admin
More activity generates more admin. If you’d be happy volunteering to be indoors, we can offer a range of admin. support tasks at Garden Organic Ryton.
Time required: There are both regular opportunities and ad hoc requirements.
Heritage Seed Library
A volunteer for HSL may be a gardener, but may also offer admin/research support based at Garden Organic Ryton. Find out more about volunteering for the Heritage Seed Library here.
Time required: Variable; HSL has peaks of activity – for example, when the catalogue goes out, or for gardening activities through the growing season and on to seed-saving.
International Programme
We need a long term, experienced volunteer to help with our tropical information and advisory service. Find out more about volunteering for our International Programme here.
Time required: Variable; Ideally between 1-3 days a week on a long-term basis (minimum 1 year).
More Information
To find out more about any of these volunteer roles, please contact Joanne Goold on 024 7630 8237, by email jgoold@gardenorganic.org.uk or fill out the enquiry form below. If you would like to post or email a volunteers sign up sheet, you can download the word document here
