Allotment Volunteer Gardener Stoke Mandeville hospital, Wycombe hospital and Bro

Location- Stoke Mandeville hospital, Wycombe hospital and Brookside Clinic Aylesbury

Varies Days and Times

Summary of role

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 allotment/garden sites. You could be planting seeds tending plants, harvesting veg, making new beds, making new friends. Learn new skills, share your knowledge, experience the feel good factor of growing and gardening, make a difference

Key Tasks:

Maintenance of the Staff Wellbeing Gardens, allotment and courtyard area at Brookside, including but not limited to:

• Watering the pots that are there and trimming the grasses in the pots and 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 in the bed that are becoming overgrown – maintaining current sizes of shrubs
• Hoeing of 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
• An option to support a group of clients with our therapist who garden at the site once a week.
• Be involved in planning the future of gardens and to develop them if interested.
• Grow and sample 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 interested in gardening
• Self-starter
• Physically fit; able to stand/walk garden for up to 2 hours
• Self-motivated – you will not be told what to do – its about seeing what needs to be done and doing it in the garden spaces
• Friendly and approachable
• Understands the importance of commitment
• Work as a team – perhaps with other volunteers and with Property Services colleague or Community Head Injury Service (CHIS) colleague
• Good communication skills
• Would understand and apply CARE values

 What you can provide to a prospective volunteer on top of the criteria listed below:

• Support from 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