Volunteer Greenhouse Assistant

Our volunteer gardeners support the provision of a professional gardening and grounds maintenance service for Springhill Hospice and its local satellite sites. Springhill service-users include those with life‑limiting illness, their carers and family members and people with neurological health issues, such as dementia, visiting our day therapies centre. This role will assist in the day‑to‑day upkeep of our award‑winning gardens, specifically caring for our plants in protected environments such as greenhouses, polytunnels and cold frames. It will involve propagating new plants from seed and cuttings, and producing attractive container displays. The hospice working environment will, at times, be physically and emotionally demanding but also very rewarding and fun.

Duties

• Support the Head Gardener with planning the forthcoming seasonal planting schemes, identify current seed stock levels and their viability, and identify seeds that need ordering.
• Create attractive containers, hanging baskets, planter displays for placing around the site and for sale.
• Propagate plants, for example sowing seed, division and striking cuttings, to increase our stock for planting and sales; an experimental approach is encouraged.
• Diligently care for propagated plants to promote their healthy growth, such as watering, feeding, weeding, pruning, staking, potting‑on and protecting from extreme temperatures.
• Harden‑off seedlings in cold frames and monitor progress and readiness for planting out.
• Maintain a hygienic environment at all times within their growing environment.
• Monitor health of plants and the presence of pests and disease; promote natural predators and remedies.
• Prepare and maintain any plants presented for sale on our cart.
• Assist in the care of Hospice house plants.
• Keep records up‑to‑date such as seed and compost media stock levels.
• Use PPE and equipment safely, keeping tools clean and reporting any faults to the Head Gardener.
• Support the promotion of the gardens through our guided tours, corporate volunteer days and Britain in Bloom competitions.
• Support initiatives to generate income i.e. plant sales, garden memorial schemes and events.
• Awareness of safeguarding responsibilities for our vulnerable adults.
• Participate in training deemed necessary for role.
• Read, understand and comply with all Hospice policies and procedures, applying the principles appropriate to the role.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

QUALIFICATIONS

• Essential – none.
• Desirable – hold, or are studying a recognised horticultural qualification, such as RHS, City & Guilds in gardening.

SKILLS

• Physically fit and willing to undertake gardening activities in all weathers.
• Strong interest in, and enjoyment of horticulture.
• Good plant knowledge and willing to learn more.
• Creative, with scope for designing plant displays in baskets, planters etc.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Friendly disposition, emotional maturity, sensitivity and patience, and the ability to work with a range of people collaboratively.
• The capacity to use your initiative and safely work independently.
• Resourcefulness, as much of our plants and materials are acquired through donations.
• Good organisational skills.
• Competent digital skills as mobiles and emails are used for communicating within the team.

EXPERIENCE

• Essential – voluntary or domestic experience in gardening activities, particularly in protected growing and propagation.
• Desirable – worked in a horticulture discipline for a minimum of 1 year.

TRAINING REQUIRED

• Induction & Tour – Yes – Once.
• Manual handling – Yes – Once.
• Working at Height Awareness – Yes – Once.
• Operator trained by Manager on the Stihl Battery Powered Equipment: Mower, Strimmer, Edger, Blower, Hedgetrimmers – No – Once.

Springhill Hospice is an equal opportunities employer and has a no smoking policy. The role is subject to a Disclosure & Barring Service / POVA check. If you require more information on this please refer to www.homeoffice.gov.uk/dbs.