Volunteering

The Hidden Gardens relies a great deal on its excellent team of skilled and committed volunteers who offer their time and expertise to help maintain the Gardens, assist with workshops and support events. There are a range of different volunteer opportunities available.

As a Hidden Gardens volunteer you will have opportunities to:
• Support the work of the Gardens
• Meet people from different backgrounds and make friends
• Develop your skills and knowledge
• Improve your English (if this is not your first language)
• Gain training and experience to add to your CV
• Improve your self-confidence
• Use your skills to benefit the local community

Pathways to Change
Taskforce Gardening Volunteers

Taskforce is a supported volunteer group led by our Garden Workshop Leader supported by Volunteer Garden Workshop Assistants which encourages participants to make changes in their lives by learning horticultural skills, growing and cooking food and learning about the environment through the John Muir Award. We go on visits to discover more about wildlife and gardening projects in other areas, improving health and wellbeing, meeting people and supporting the needs of the Gardens.

Taskforce takes place on a Wednesday from March to November each year from 10am to 2.30pm.

If you are interested in joining Taskforce please get in touch as soon as possible as spaces quickly fill up. Priority is given to people living in South East Glasgow particularly those living in G41, G42 , G5 and adjacent postcode areas.

Greenfingers Gardening Volunteers

Greenfingers are volunteers with good gardening skills able to volunteer with minimal supervision. There are currently places available on Thursdays 10am-3pm. Greenfingers volunteers help with plant propagation, garden developments, and maintenance all year round. Being a Greenfingers volunteer provides opportunities for people to make new friends, improve their health and wellbeing and increase their knowledge of gardening during workshops run by the Head Gardener or Senior Gardener. There are also opportunities to go on volunteer trips to other sites of wildlife or gardening interest.
If you are interested in joining Greenfingers please get in touch – details below .

Wildlife Surveying Volunteers

Are you interested in wildlife surveying (in particular birds, bees and butterflies?) The Hidden Gardens has created two new wildlife areas and is currently developing an area of lowland meadow to encourage more wildlife into the Gardens.
We require experienced volunteers able to carry out surveys to enable us to look at changes in the wildlife using the Hidden Gardens over time and by looking at the results to see if there are areas of the Hidden Gardens we can improve to encourage more wildlife. Training will be provided in identification . Volunteers will also be involved in passing on skills to others who are interested in getting involved in wildlife surveying.

What volunteers enjoyed:

“Being part of a team and learning something new every week.”

“I enjoyed sharing my woodworking skills with other volunteers – that’s what its all about”

“I enjoyed following things through this year and and knowing that something I have done in the garden this year will be there next year – something other people can enjoy in the future and it will be long lasting”

“During my volunteering I had a chance to meet and work with people of different cultures, nations and backgrounds. I found it particularly interesting especially as all people I have met were nice and friendly. We were sharing the same passion – Work at the open air with plants and seeds has helped me recharge my ‘mental’ battery”

For more information about any of these opportunities, or if you are interested in occasional weekend volunteering, assisting with Gardens events or have other skills you would like to offer as a volunteer please contact:

Andrea Gillespie, Volunteer Manager
andrea@thehiddengardens.org.uk
0141 433 2722