Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteers are the life blood of Scotswood Garden.

Youth & Education Volunteers -There are volunteering opportunities to work with our education, forest schools and youth programmes. These range from supporting in sessions in the garden to being out supporting with our Duke of Edinburgh expedition groups. 

Contact Education Manager: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  / 0191 275 0000

Contact Play & Youth Manager: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 0191 275 0000. 

Sticky Business Volunteers-  Learn about making preserves from seed to jar and help to produce our delicious products using seasonal produce from the garden. You can also volunteer as part of our sales team selling preserves and plants at various markets. 

Contact Business Development Officer: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  / 0191 275 0000. 

Plant Nursery Volunteers- Join our experienced growing team in our glasshouses and polytunnels, growing a huge range of perennial pollinator friendly plants. 

Contact Plant Nursery Lead: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  / 0191 275 0000. 

Garden Volunteers -We are fortunate to have an amazing team of hardworking volunteers. They are vital in keeping the garden looking beautiful and productive. Our main volunteer days are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Working with our experienced garden staff team the volunteers carry out a wide range of jobs including seed sowing, planting, taking cuttings, scything, weeding, tree pruning, grass cutting, path clearing, as well as bee keeping, basic wood work, crafts, landscaping....every day is different! At each session we sit down and eat a shared lunch together, usually harvested fresh that morning from the garden.

The volunteer team is open to everyone - no experience needed, just a willingness to get stuck in! We believe that gardening and gentle outdoor work is great for mental and physical health and wellbeing. The garden provides a warm, friendly space to learn more about growing and gardening, and also meet new friends. We work hard to ensure that everyone feels included and welcome, and that all our volunteers are able to learn and develop at the pace that suits them.

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We support our volunteers with training where possible, and we run free, accredited courses in varied aspects of gardening and vocational skills. Where needed we also help volunteers to find employment and we regularly provide references for our volunteers. Volunteers have also been involved in various arts projects. 

Contact Garden & Community Manager Sean Clay: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 0191 275 0000.