Lily pad lake

Would you like to spend more time outdoors in beautiful surroundings in 2012? And at the same time make a vital contribution to the work of the Oxford Botanic Garden and Harcourt Arboretum? If so, you might like to consider joining the volunteer teams in one of the following roles:

Visitor support volunteers at Harcourt Arboretum
To meet and greet visitors to the Arboretum, tell them what highlights there are to see today, and explain about current activities for visitors e.g. explorer backpacks. This role will support ticket office staff at busy periods, such as at bluebell time, at rhododendron time, and during the autumn colour season. The volunteers will work at weekends during these periods, from either 10.00am to 1.30pm or from 12.30pm to 4.00pm, or for the full day, and on the Tuesdays of Family Friendly activity days.

Volunteer gardener with the Garden team at the Botanic Garden
Five volunteers are needed, each of whom will be assigned to a member of the Garden team. Each volunteer will work with that team member on practical horticultural work. The work will be fortnightly, for half a day, from 9.00am to 1.00pm on Mondays or Thursdays, from March to May.

Nothoscordum weeders at the Botanic Garden
Working in a team of four, weeding beds in the Garden to eradicate this pernicious weed. We started this project in 2011 and it was very successful, with volunteers really enjoying the team work and activity. The teams will work from 9.00am to 1.00pm on a regular day a fortnight. The period will be for three months either from March to May, or from June to September: therefore six sessions in total for each team member.

Training would be given for all these volunteer roles.

If you are interested in any of these roles please contact our Volunteer Co-ordinator Mary Isaac at volunteers@obg.ox.ac.uk or phone her on 01844 279606. Or, come and meet the teams and find out more about the various volunteer activities at a drop-in session:

At the Garden (to find out about the gardener and Nothoscordum weeder roles)
Monday 20th February, 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Tuesday 21st February, 10.30am – 1.00pm

At the Arboretum (to find out about the visitor support roles)
Weds 11th April, 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Friday 13th April, 10.30am – 1pm