Volunteer with Us

Our Volunteers do amazing things- we simply could not do all we do without them! From supporting our members to maintaining our Gardens, inspiring Members, and visitors young and old. We warmly welcome our wonderful team of volunteers, and we are committed to ensure our volunteers feel valued and recognised for all that they do.

Volunteering can help you positively contribute to your community, bringing a sense of wellbeing, help you make friends and help you to learn new skills which can enhance your CV.

There are so many meaningful ways you can get involved and join our friendly team. Discover more about our volunteering opportunities below.

Supporting Our Members

Share your passion and enthusiasm and help to encourage learning as you help us deliver our timetable of activities to our Members.

Supporting Our Members

We need volunteers to help our staff team to support our Members so that may get the benefit from our wide timetable of activities.

What Would I be doing?

Working alongside Members in sessions, helping them to achieve their goals, this may be on site in the wide range of activities or in the community supporting our activities such as rambling, swimming, shopping and so much more.

Maintaining our Gardens

Garden volunteers help us to maintain our beautiful Walled Garden, Victorian Orchard, and Woodland.

Maintaining our Gardens

We need volunteers to care for our gardens year around and help them flourish.

What Would I be doing?

Woking within the garden volunteering team and with our Head Gardener to
Assist with horticultural tasks: such as deadheading, weeding, pruning, watering, potting on, sowing seeds, collecting fruit and vegetables.
Learn about our planting schemes and our work with Members and the History of the Garden
Interact- make friends and interact with our teams of volunteers, staff and visiting public, some volunteers work alongside Members helping them to learn horticulture.

Café and retail

Support Members and our café and retail team in our beautiful café and shop bringing member work-based learning to life.

Café and retail

Support Members and our café and retail team in our beautiful café and shop bringing member work-based learning to life.

What Would I be doing?

Supporting staff and members to help in our busy shop and café, helping them to socialise and process payments of items, and to stock shelves or help them in the café to serve a delicious “plot to plate menu”.

Facilities

Help us to maintain our beautiful site, with maintenance and DIY tasks- there is always something to do as part of our friendly team.

Facilities

Help us to maintain our beautiful site, with maintenance and DIY tasks- there is always something to do as part of our friendly team.

What would I be doing?

We have a never-ending round of painting, decorating, handy man and DIY jobs across our busy 4-acre site. Some work may involve caring for buildings, vehicles or even in the garden. Alternatively, if you are a talented craftsman or carpenter you may be interested in making items to sell in our shop to raise vital funds for the charity.

Fundraising

Support one of our many events and represent us in the community helping to raise vital funds so we can provide more services to more Members.

Fundraising

Support one of our many events and represent us in the community helping to raise vital funds so we can provide more services to more Members.

Behind the Scenes

Our volunteers are busy behind the schemes in the offices, and on site helping with the essential tasks to keep us going.

Behind the Scenes

What would I be doing?

Our volunteers are busy behind the schemes in the offices, and on site helping with the essential tasks to keep us going this may include administrative assistance such as helping to keep our busy offices running, answering phones, supporting literature preparation, or helping to keep our databases up to date and ensuring we are recording and thanking all donors.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can read our frequently asked questions or to find out more email volunteers@riponwalledgarden.org

Do I need experience to be a volunteer?

No, we will aim to place you in an area where you already have skills and experience, or you may learn new skills through training or working with experienced staff or volunteers.
What is the Time Commitment?

There is no minimum time commitment, we would love to hear from you no matter how much time you have to give, from a few hours ad hoc, to regular volunteering opportunities we will work with you to see what suits you best. We only ask that if you are a regular volunteer, you give us notice so that we can make alternative arrangements.
Will I need a DBS and References?

Yes. All of our volunteers need to consent to a DBS check at our expense, and we will also ask for two references as part of our safer recruitment policy.
Will I need training?

All our volunteers are expected to undertake some minimum training, this is dependent upon the type of volunteer role.
Are there any age restrictions?

Yes, volunteers must be at least 16 years old.