Volunteering

We’re reliant on support from volunteers to do all the things we want to! We tend to use the following approaches:

Ad hoc help

Typically a few hours on a weekend day. It’s organised via a WhatsApp group. When we need some help, Ayesha will put a message out on the group with details of the activity, timing etc. Activities can range from helping in the woodland, sheep or chicken moves, assisting with planting, working in the polytunnel, hard labour wheelbarrowing material around etc.

Please contact us if you’d like to be added to the WhatsApp group.

Volunteering events

Typically full day activities that need larger groups of people. They’ll be planned a few weeks in advance and we’ll have instructions / demonstrations on the day. For all-day sessions we’ll also provide lunch and refreshments. You can see some examples of past events below.

Note that for practical reasons we may need to limit numbers. Some events will be child-friendly, some will be for adults only.

Please contact us if you’re interested in helping out and we’ll add you to our mailing list.

Hosting sessions for organisations

We also host sessions for organisations such as Scout groups. For this type of session, we’ll identify the work / tasks we need help with, and discuss the approach / timing with the organisation / group leaders.

On the day, the session is led and managed by the organisation / group leaders. We’ll be on hand to provide help with specific tasks, and organise refreshments, fire pit etc.

Please get in touch if you’re part of an organisation that would be interested in this.

Why volunteer?

Well, apart from working with some lovely people you can:

…acquire new skills
…get some fresh air
…get muddy
…get some exercise (without having to endure the gym!)
…have some fun along the way!

Future volunteering events

This is our (very loose and subject to change) calendar of events.

Dec-2025

Orchard mapping – mark out the new fruit trees on the field, ready for holes to be dug.
Cactus guards assembly – 34 to build!
Orchard planting – we ordering another 30 fruit (apple, pear, plum, cherry) trees to add to the 55 orchard trees planted last year. Expect wind, cold, and lots of mud but also a lot of fun and good humour!

Jan-2026

Hedge planting – we’ll be planting around 500 bare root hedging saplings to create a new boundary hedge that will (in time) also act as a valuable wildlife corridor.
Pond clearing and bank reinstatement. We need to pull out bricks, tyres etc, and restore part of the bank that’s eroded away.

Examples of past events

Here are some examples of previous organised volunteering events.

Orchard planting - January 2025

In 2024 we secured partial funding to plant a new mixed fruit orchard. There was a lot of planning involved in choosing the varieties, designing the layout, mapping this on to the field, getting all the orders in – but finally we were ready for planting…

On a crisp, cold (-5 deg C!) January morning our volunteer crew of around 20 friends, family, neighbours, and community members assembled, full of enthusiasm! After a demonstration, teams were formed, roles assigned, and quality control clipboards distributed!

Tasks included:

tree selection and distribution
tree stake ramming
compost mixing
driving in rebar supports for the cactus guards
planting and strapping to the stakes
backfilling the soil / compost mix and firming in
labelling
Wheelbarrowing and mulching woodchip
catering
quality control!

We had tea, coffee, snacks and a fire pit to keep us going and with all the help we actually completed this ahead of schedule!

Watch on Instagram.

Cactus tree guards building - December 2025

We use cactus tree guards to protect newly planted trees from hungry deer and sheep. If they manage to strip the bark, the tree dies and has to be replaced. So it’s important to protect it until it’s mature enough to have a tough enough bark to resist nibbles.

Cactus tree guards arrive as flat sheet of galvanised steel mesh. The catch is that they’re also covered in spikes that deter the grazers. They need to be carefully shaped / rolled into cylinders and secured with releasable cable ties. Strong gloves are a prerequisite!

Watch on Instagram.