Meadow Orchard welcomes volunteers
Help Wanted
Help is always wanted to take care of the site, garden, orchard, wildlife habitats and other projects. All ages and abilities are welcome. Children under age 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Welcome
There are a variety of tasks and projects to help with – from light gardening to the more physical, to cater for all abilities and interests. On our Saturday volunteering days there will be a Site Leader on hand for guidance and to make you welcome. Please go at your own pace and do what you are comfortable with.
Why Volunteer?
What are the benefits of community gardening? Gardening and particularly gardening as a group has a lot of health benefits, both physically and can benefit wellbeing too. Better physical health Can be achieved through: Better mental health Social inclusion New skills Improved wellbeing from being close to nature
Opening hours
We’re open on Saturdays from 12pm to 4pm and often stay until dusk in summer. You can help out with activities or just visit to enjoy being in nature. Please check the shared calendar for info.
Volunteering activities include
- Getting involved with our beautiful garden, meadow and orchard spaces.
- Helping to sow and grow, herbs and produce in our Polytunnel and Kitchen Garden area.
- Building wildlife habitat boxes, bird, bat and bee houses.
- Maintaining the garden, growing food and medicinal herbs in our veg beds, perennial beds and polytunnel
- Caring for the fruit trees and forest garden areas in our community orchard
- Wildlife activities such as bio-diversity surveys, tree and hedge planting, coppicing and pollarding trees scything, clearing bramble and pathways, transplanting saplings, dead-hedge laying, cultivating wild flowers.
- Maintaining and caring for the site and facilities
- Eco-building and carpentry or repairs
- Building Willow structures and green woodworking.
- Natural bee-keeping
Volunteer Site Leaders wanted to help run our Saturday open days
Volunteer site leaders help to run our regular Saturday open days from 12-4pm.
Site leading involves
- Committing to a date for a 4-hour or 2-hour slot (12-4pm, or 12-2pm / 2-4pm)
- opening and/or closing the site
- welcoming visitors and volunteers
- giving a brief induction to new volunteers
- guiding hands-on volunteer activities such as wildlife activities, gardening, site maintenance, tree-care and other practical projects
- supporting care of the site for the day, such as making sure rubbish is taken away, tools are put away, the site is well cared for and locked up at the end of day
- being responsible for health and safety on the day
You can commit to however many Saturdays you like and we suggest a minimum of 3-4 a year to get the most from this volunteering role and to build continuity and experience.
An induction can be provided for new site leaders. Download the guidelines for site leaders below to find out more:
Please get in touch if you are interested by emailing: meadoworchardproject@gmail.com
Green woodworking @MOP
Traditional skillsGreen woodworking is a traditional method of woodworking where freshly cut, or “green,” wood is used, that is wood that hasn’t been kiln-dried or “seasoned”. Green woodworking mainly relies on using hand tools and traditional techniques to work the wood while it is still in its green state, unlike traditional carpentry or joinery where…
Meadow Orchard Project 