Eco-campsite in Somerset, United Kingdom

Details

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  Description

  Are you interested in living and working and alternative lifestyle in a beautiful rural location? Are you happy to get stuck in and do what needs doing - even if it's cleaning compost loos? We are a small eco-friendly campsite set in ancient Somerset woodland, with 13 camping and 2 glamping pitches.
  
  We are looking for a single person, couple or couple of friends to help run the campsite from May to September 2024.
  
  There is only approx 15 hours per week of paid work on minimum wage, as the paid work is shared with other workawayers. During busy times, most of the work is cleaning in the mornings, including cleaning and emptying compost loos. Some additional hours may be available but this is the basic and the rest of your time is your own to explore the area or do your own projects and have a nice place to live. There are other projects ongoing on the farm that you are welcome to participate in and you can make the staff area your own with its own outdoor kitchen, living spaces and vegetable garden.
  
  We'd love to build more of a community for people working here and welcome more Workawayers, as it can feel isolated - but the paid work is limited and needs to be shared. However, if you have other work - remote or in the area, and can still contribute some hours, then this could be a great option for you. If you have skills or qualifications that you could use on the site either to help develop the site, or that could be offered direct to campers - then these could all be possible. that might be teaching an activity, cooking communal meals or playing music around the campfire.
  
  There is space for your own campervan, or we can provide accommodation. In the warmer months we provide a furnished bell tent with wood burning stove. Our team area has a big outdoor kitchen and covered seating area, firepit area, compost loo, various grass areas and a vegetable garden.
  
  We are a Greener Camping Club site, and a sustainable and low impact approach is taken in every aspect of running the site. We are a quiet site with no amplified music and no cars onsite. We aim to give our guests a true back to nature experience, but with a few creature comforts to make their stay the best it can be - so you'll find hot showers, complimentary eco-products and access to electric charging points in the communal barn. We also have a small coffee shop and bar and wood fired pizza oven onsite, showcasing local suppliers and products.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Help with Eco Projects

  Teaching

  Gardening

  Farmstay help

  Babysitting and creative play

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We are a small business run by a single founder - Elise, who will be your main point of contact, but is set on the family farm - all of whom you'll meet. We are looking to find like minded people who are passionate about sustainability and creating a friendly and inclusive working environment to help grow the business while maintaining its green ethos. We want you to feel like one of the family and that your contribution, ideas and input is valued and appreciated. The interactions with campers from all backgrounds means it creates a diversity of social experiences.
  
  
  This is a great opportunity to immerse yourselves in nature and learn more about British woodlands and their flora and fauna. It will be hard work and accommodation is on the basic side - but it's in a beautiful place and you'll have the chance to develop a range of new skills. If you're interested in woodland management and Bushcraft skills you can develop those, or if you're into cooking and food then develop your skills over open fires using a woodfired oven and foraging and farming the freshest ingredients.

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Host offers payment in line with the minimum wage

  This host offers accommodation and payment.

  Host has indicated that they will pay at least the UK minimum hourly wage for each hour worked and that accommodation will also be provided inline with UK guidance. They are asking for help with a business or business activity. Contact the host directly via the site messenger for more information and details about the wage provided. Any arrangements should be agreed in advance with your host.

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  Help

  Work exchange - we would provide camping accommodation or we have space for your own tent or van. Cooking and washing facilities are provided. We need help running the site including cleaning all communal facilities like sinks and showers, cleaning the compost loos, cleaning the glamping tents and pitting up and taking down hired bell tents. Plus some maintenance work like grass cutting, weeding, log chopping and in the bar.
  
  
  If you have skills you'd like to share with guests as paid activities, we would promote your activities to guests and you would keep any income. Specifics to be agreed case by case. All applicants need to be able to LEGALLY WORK IN THE UK.
  
  WE ARE LOOKING FOR
  *Ideally a single or couple, or couple of friends
  *people willing to get stuck in and help with all the elements of cleaning and maintaining the site
  * people interested in different projects around the site and workawayer living areas
  * people with skills in areas that compliment the site and our ethos
  * Skills could include: yoga, cooking over fire, cooking classes, forest school, foraging, craft sessions, making natural dyes, cyanotype printing, writing, making willow products, art/sculpture, wilderness skills, forest bathing, fitness sessions, acoustic music - anything that could enhance the experience of staying at the Wood
  * You must have relevant certification in your area - e.g. Food Hygiene for cooking, DBS checks if working with children, insurance for any activities you can teach i.e. for Yoga
  * A helpful attitude and willingness to help out in other areas of running the site if it is needed
  *Enjoys interacting with people
  *Loves the outdoors and camping
  *Would suit people seeking an alternative lifestyle
  *Relaxed, down to earth, happy person - we run a chilled out campsite, but we also work hard!

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent

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  Accommodation

  Furnished bell tent camping accommodation, along with outdoor kitchen, living space and compost loo, plus electric charging points. We will provide a secure space for your van if needed, All firewood included. You'll also have access to the communal areas of the campsite including hot showers and communal barn area. You can at least in part live off the land with many foraging opportunities as well as helping with and using the vegetable gardens where we grow some summer produce. Some communal meals will be provided - mainly pizza!

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  What else ...

  A car is required as we are in a remote location, around 3 miles from the town of Crewkerne which has plenty of shops and a mainline train station. We are around 15 miles from the Jurassic coast with Charmouth and Lyme Regis out nearest seaside towns. There are many lovely towns and villages in the area to explore.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  We have a small office with mobile signal booster in the house, or access to a connected workspace with hot desks in nearby Crewkerne.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  We would be able to accommodate a campervan - you would still have access to the facilities that are provided for our Workawayers - out door kitchen, firepit, seating, compost loo, communal showers. We don't have facilities for emptying chemical toilets.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  This would need further discussion. We are a no dog campsite so they would not be able to have the dog with them whilst we have guests on site.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

  Varied depending on time of year

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