Garden Volunteer

If you love gardens you’ll know they need lots of care and attention. Our volunteers help with the upkeep, development and protection of some of the most beautiful and important gardens and parklands in the UK - so visitors and wildlife can enjoy them.

What's involved?

• Contributing to the current and future vision of Ickworth
• Maintaining high presentation standards, learning about and promoting good plant health care
• Helping the team with everyday practical tasks to keep the garden/parks looking it s best e.g. - tidying up, dead-heading, weeding and caring for borders
• Maintaining garden equipment, tools and machinery used by the garden team such as, mowers, strimmers and hand tools
• Helping with the planned development by e.g. planting trees and shrubs
• Being a friendly face for visitors and answering any questions
• Being part of a varied and enthusiastic team and making new friends
• Helping us deliver our commitment to sustainability

By getting involved you could:

• Join a passionate and dedicated team of gardeners and become part of Ickworth’s future
• Learn more about Ickworth and the work of the National Trust
• Enjoy the benefits of being active outdoors surrounded by beautiful scenery
• Help preserve the gardens and create that wow factor for our visitors today and future generations
• Develop and share your own gardening skills and enjoy meeting other keen gardeners
• Work alongside staff and garden volunteers at special outside events

You’d also be joining Europe’s largest conservation charity and the wider National Trust team proudly looking after 780 miles of coastline, over 250,000 hectares of land, over 500 historic houses, castles, ancient monuments, gardens, parks and nature reserves (including lighthouses, villages, pubs and a gold mine!). We are a unique charity welcoming millions of people each year and with a vision to open up places for the benefit of everyone, for ever.

This role will suit you if you are:

• Enthusiastic about the great outdoors and enjoy some physical activity
• Happy to take on different tasks in every part of the garden areas
• Interested in learning about gardening or have skills you want to share/develop
• Positive, friendly and approachable.
• Enjoy talking to people and being part of a team.
• Happy to volunteer outside – despite the weather!
• Happy to learn new skills and practises from our gardening team
• Passionate about gardening and the outdoors

All National Trust volunteers will be asked to
- Respect and uphold the National Trust values whilst volunteering with us.
- Complete training required of all NT volunteers and any role specific training
- Adhere to relevant policies and processes including safeguarding, health and safety, and equality and diversity.

WE WANT ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS TO FEEL WELCOME AND TO HAVE AN EQUALLY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE WHEN VOLUNTEERING WITH US. SO, VOLUNTEERS WILL:
- BE PROVIDED WITH THE NECESSARY INDUCTION, TRAINING, EQUIPMENT AND REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS TO DO THIS ROLE WELL AND SAFELY
- BE OFFERED EXPENSES TO COVER AGREED TRAVEL COSTS BETWEEN HOME AND PLACE OF VOLUNTEERING.
- HAVE REMOTE ACCESS TO SUPPORT, NEWS AND ROTAS VIA OUR VOLUNTEER WEBSITE