Allotment and Volunteer Gardener co-ordinator in Aylesbury

Location: Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Stoke Mandeville Hospital and Brookside Clinic Aylesbury

Days & Times: Various Days & Times

Overview: The growing healthy project is developing garden and allotment sites for staff, patients and the community to work on. We are looking to develop a team of volunteers to work on this project. You don't need any experience, just a willingness to get involved at one of the allotment/garden sites. You could be planting seeds, tending plants, harvesting vegetables, making new beds, and making new friends. Learn new skills, share your knowledge, experience the feel-good factor of growing and gardening, make a difference, and eat healthy food that you have grown!

Our team of volunteers would benefit from someone to steer their growth, whether this be the growth of the allotments or their gardening skills. We are looking for someone who is interested in growing vegetables and gardening who can support our team to manage one of our sites at Stoke Mandeville or Wycombe hospital. This could be a great way to share your skills, build your experience, and improve your prospects whilst making a positive difference.

Key Tasks:

• Coordinating the site, which could include but is not limited to:
• Taking a lead on growing produce, managing what and when, etc.
• Supporting other volunteers to be involved in the project
• Liaising with the growing healthy team regarding developments
• Being aware of and reporting any risks

Maintenance of the allotment and gardens, including but not limited to:

• Watering the pots and trimming the grasses in the pots, cutting back plants, and deadheading
• Sweeping up and keeping the pathways leaf and moss free and weeding the grout areas
• Pruning any of the shrubs that are becoming overgrown - maintaining current sizes of shrubs
• Hoeing the beds to keep on top of the weeds
• Arranging for the garden rubbish generated to be removed plus any other rubbish that is there
• Cleaning and checking the furniture
• Deciding what to grow, when to plant and harvest, etc.
• Being involved in planning the future of gardens and developing them if interested
• Growing and sampling produce from the allotment
• Reporting any issues to relevant staff on site

We are happy for the person(s) who volunteer to add to the garden space and discuss any thoughts or ideas to improve it further.

Desired skills and experience:

• Has a garden and is interested in gardening
• Self-starter
• Physically fit; able to stand/walk in the garden for up to 2 hours
• Self-motivated - you will not be told what to do; it's about seeing what needs to be done and doing it in the garden spaces
• Friendly and approachable
• Understands the importance of commitment
• Works as a team - perhaps with other volunteers and with Property Services colleagues or Community Head Injury Service (CHIS) colleagues
• Good communication skills
• Would understand and apply CARE values

What you can provide to a prospective volunteer:

• Support from the growing healthy team
• Local induction
• Being part of a friendly team
• An opportunity to practice and flourish with their gardening skills
• Opportunity to give back to the NHS
• Develop or maintain independence
• Share passion and skills
• Increase level of physical activity
• An opportunity to build work-related skills
• Develop CV and reference