The gardens and parkland at Newstead Abbey covers more than 300 acres with paths that meander past lakes, ponds and waterfalls, including 38 acres of gardens. This all requires a lot of upkeep, we are looking for people with an interest in horticulture, wildlife, conservation, and heritage to work alongside our friendly and enthusiastic garden team.
What you will be doing
- Basic horticultural maintenance tasks such as planting, pruning, weeding, edging, caring for borders etc.
- Some aspects of general park and garden maintenance (no machinery used) such as clearing overgrown areas, general tidying, litter clearing, wildlife conservation, grounds maintenance.
- Providing a friendly face for visitors and answering questions they many have
- Being around on special days to talk to visitors about the gardens
The skills you need
- A pleasant and helpful manner and a willingness to learn
- A keen interest in gardening and or/parks maintenance
- Ability to work in a team and to take guidance from staff
- Physical fitness to do parctical outside tasks with minimal supervision
What’s in it for you
- Shifts are available weekdays 9.30am – 4pm
- Meet new people and have the opportunity to socialise with fellow volunteers at events. You will be part of a large team of volunteers from all ages and backgrounds
- Stay fit and healthy by working out of doors
- Build your experience of working in museums, heritage and visitor engagement
- Free parking
- Free tea and coffee while on site and 10% discount in the shop and cafe.