Volunteer at One Garden Brighton
Volunteering is a rewarding experience, whether you want to learn new skills, are considering pursuing a career in horticulture or simply want to meet new people.
Visit & Opening Times
Summer hours (1st April – 31st October)
Everyday 09:30 - 17:00
Winter hours (1st November – 31st March)
Everyday 10:00 - 15:30
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY
This is an exciting opportunity open to anyone of any age and background to be part of a new team from the beginning. Learn some new skills and become part of a wonderful community, based in our historic walled garden. With your help we can care for the garden sustainably and keep it maintained so it lasts forever.
This is a physical role, where you’ll work as part of team in most weathers. You will be assisting the One Garden Brighton Team by taking part in a range of horticultural activities. This could include maintenance of the formal gardens - which will involve planting, weeding, pruning and watering or helping to educate the next generation of plant lovers through tours of the historic space and school visits.
You may also get involved with caring for the plant collection within the Palm House, renovation of the Long Border and assisting with Plant Sales, whether that be growing or selling.
We hope that you learn new skills or make use of existing skills or expertise, meet new people, gain confidence, increase your self-esteem, help others less fortunate or come for another more personal reason.
You don’t have to have had any previous experience in horticulture. All we ask is that you buy into our aims and values and have an enthusiasm for the role.Whether you think you have the skills and experience or not, we’d still like to hear from you, as everyone has something they can offer.
Be part of the story
We’re looking for people who are:
- Enthusiastic
- Creative
- Enjoy working in all weathers
You don’t have to have had any previous experience in horticulture. All we ask is that you are passionate about the aims of One Garden Brighton, are an ambassador for our values and have an enthusiasm for the role.Whether you think you have the skills and experience or not, we’d still like to hear from you, as everyone has something they can offer.
General Enquiries: please email us [email protected]
Volunteering update - March 2021
Thanks to all of those who have shown interest in Volunteering at One Garden Brighton. If you have completed either the initial enquiry form or our volunteer survey, then thank you!
If you have not yet registered your interest please do so using the form below.
We have been delighted at the number of people who have shown interest in volunteering and we are very keen to bring as many volunteers as possible into our wonderful garden over the next few months and beyond.
The health and safety of all our staff, volunteers and visitors is our top priority. Over the last year we have been unable to allow public volunteers into the garden - due to the current pandemic - and have only been able to use Stanmer-based staff and students, in order to limit and monitor the number of people on site.
As lockdown lifts and the government measures ease, we will be in a position to invite public volunteers on site for a series of Volunteer taster days, starting in May 2021. The process of inviting people will take time as each session has to be supervised by our busy gardening team and – again due to government guidelines and restrictions - we are limited in only being able to have a limited number of volunteers with us each day.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. We will contact you in due course. In the meantime we hope you will visit the garden which is open to the public seven days a week – with distancing measures in place.
FAQ – for volunteers
All we ask that is you supply your own pair of steel toe cap boots for safety reasons, clothing appropriate for carrying out physical tasks, including wet weather clothing when required, ie waterproof jacket and trousers. We’ll supply you with any other safety equipment that you require to work in One Garden Brighton.
Please bring your own lunch if you intend to volunteer for a full day.
No. We encourage volunteers to use sustainable methods of transport where possible but do have paid car parking and disabled parking on site. The park is also served by the number 78 bus (into the park - weekends only) and the 5B and 25 buses (to the park gates).
We encourage all ages from 11 to 100! If you are between the ages of 11 and 16, we do ask that you have written consent from your parent or guardian.
Yes - where at all possible. We will do all we can to accommodate your individual needs.
There is no fixed time, but we hope that you’ll feel able to commit to volunteer as much time as you can. Hopefully you’ll decide that you want to carry on volunteering with us on a regular basis.
We ask that you book in your volunteer session prior to your arrival, with as much notice as you can give. Equally if you can’t make session that you’ve booked onto, that you give as much notice as possible that you won’t be able to make it.
You will be working alongside a trained member of staff that assist you in any tasks you carry out, making sure you learn the correct skills and get the most out of your time with us. You will also have an induction prior to using any form of machinery.
Yes, you’ll be covered by our Public Liability Insurance as is every other member of staff working in One Garden Brighton.
As One Garden Brighton is part of Plumpton College, an educational training centre, we are required to undertake DBS checks on all regular volunteers over the age of 18.