Volunteering

If you would like to come down and join in with a workday on an informal basis you’re welcome to do so. Have a look at the Dates page to find out when the next sessions are (usually Saturday or Sunday mornings, but not every week) and then drop us a line to say you’d like to attend. Each session should have a point of contact person assigned from the members, and this person will get in touch with you to meet and give you access to the site on the day (the site is gated and locked normally so you need to meet someone with a key).

Workdays involve all kinds of things depending on season and what projects are underway, but they will often include weeding, watering, mowing/scything, digging, construction of beds, buildings, and other contraptions, clearing scrub and so on. You won’t need to bring any tools normally, but a pair of good boots if it’s wet, and a pair of gardening gloves are a good idea. Also, bring drinking water and something to eat with you.

Sessions usually run from 11am until 2pm but can go on longer if people are stuck into a task. People can of course leave when they need to.

Members at work, 2009

Becoming a member

If you have volunteered on a session or two and met some or all of the group and you like the idea of getting involved as a member, then the criteria are as follows:

  1. You should ideally live in the BS3 area, as we try to keep things local
  2. You will need to pay an annual membership fee (currently £40 per person)
  3. You will need to be able to commit to a minimum of six hours a month of work
  4. We have a basic mission statement here and you will need to agree to its terms

The fee helps pay for the rental of the plot and for things like seeds and tools and materials, although we try to rescue and recycle whatever we need for the plot whenever we can before buying things.

In terms of the food we produce, the idea is that we share the harvest equally based on contributing time and effort equally, but so far we’ve not had any formal way of doing this, and we are fairly relaxed about it - the main point of the group is to gain experience in growing veg collaboratively, learning from and enjoying the process, and the food we get from it is only a part of the aim.

Clearing the ground