Friends & Volunteers

Embercombe offers opportunities for volunteering from a day to a year. We require help in all our activities. Read on for how you might be involved in helping fulfil our mission.

We are currently seeking volunteer fundraisers, to work alongside our fundraiser, Sue Charman, either from home or at Embercombe. Read the invitation from Sue here.

Each month we have a Friends Working Weekend. Everyone is welcome. There is no cost, just a trade - your energetic assistance with a diverse range of tasks, for the pleasure and fun of being together, meeting new friends, catching up with old friends, and enjoying this beautiful and inspiring place.

As a volunteer, from the very young to the old, you are involved in a wide range of seasonal activities including tree planting, traditional fence making, growing fruit & vegetables, apple pressing, woodland management and many others all on the 50 acre smallholding which includes an organic vegetable garden and polytunnel, orchard, woodland and pasture land. Needless to say, there is always plenty to do and we are very grateful to those who have volunteered their time over the years.

One of the things we almost always do to start the weekend is make bread on Friday evening and all assistance is welcomed. We're very happy to be supporting 'Loaves of Love', to help get everyone baking bread  - with friends and even friendly strangers!

Weekend dates for 2009:

13-15 March

10-12 April

8-10 May (Embercombe Council)

12-14 June

10-12 July

21-22-23-24 August

11-13 September (Embercombe Council)

9-11 October

29-1st November

20-22 November(Embercombe Council)

18-20th December

To become a volunteer you will need to register by clicking here
By selecting the 'friends mailings' you will automatically receive updates about forthcoming weekends and be registered as a Friend of Embercombe.

For more information about the weekends - what to expect and what to bring: click here (opens in a new window)
For any questions about the weekends contact volunteering@embercombe.co.uk
Booking essential: To book a place on the weekends contact clare@embercombe.co.uk or call 01647 252983

Once registered you will be kept informed of the dates of the volunteer weekends, the activities and tasks that will be happening on those weekends and be kept up-to-date on any new developments. We look forward to meeting you at Embercombe.

The Volunteers Project
Much of our valuable work here at Embercombe is conducted by a few treasured volunteers who both live and work on the land. As well as friends working weekends, we also ask volunteers to come and work at other times and if their interest is to assist with a specific programme, this can be possible but needs to be discussed with the programme leader.

We have vacant positions for full time live-in volunteers. Full time volunteers are expected to work a five day week and for this they are provided with accommodation, food basics and veg from the garden. A very homely cabin with all necessary facilities is the focal point for volunteers.

For further information on the Volunteers Project, please contact Melanie Watson, Volunteer Coordinator, volunteering@embercombe.co.uk