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Come to our conservation charity garden in Wiltshire, UK

  • United Kingdom
  • Favourited 492 times
  • Last activity: 10 Jun 2023

Availability

  2023 

 Min stay requested: at least a week

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    INTRODUCTION:
    Come to our unusual garden in rural Wiltshire. It's a registered charity to advance education in horticulture & conservation. I have hosted over 29 students from 12 countries.

    It's a friendly, mellow, rural atmosphere: to explore England, learn skills and enrich your outlook. Volunteer activities include: horticulture, d.i.y., wildlife, landscaping, conservation, maintaining: fish pond & wetland, herbs/vegetable/fruit areas. No previous experience required.

    Residential placements for male students age 18-28 (female accommodation dependent on local host families). You can also be flexible in your timetable to have long weekends off for excursions.

    WHAT WE DO:
    Receive visiting groups; teach horticulture & conservation; make videos; skill training for the unemployed, resource for adults with learning difficulties.

    Links to 7 British universities for student conservation research articles, and for making videos.

    Large LIBRARY: on wildlife, conservation, art, history, horticulture, heritage, landscape design etc.

    SPORTS: Gymnasium (twin weight stack/fixed weight/3 seating position system + free weights). Good countryside for jogging. Use of a bicycle.

    VILLAGE FACILITIES:
    General store, post-office, village hall, 2 pubs, church, golf resort, woodcarving club, football club, river, Bowood House & Gardens.

    Chippenham (8minutes by bus) has:
    night club; lots of pubs; good range of shops and sports facilities.
    Calne (2 minutes by bus) has: skateboard/bmx park; good restaurants; motor museum, volley ball.

    PLACES TO VISIT NEARBY: Major attractions include: Stonehenge; Roman Bath; Bristol; Malmesbury; Longleat House; Lacock Abbey; Salisbury Cathedral; Avebury Stone Circles; Bowood House & Gardens; Cotswold Water Park; Somerset coast; South Wales castles & mountains.

    Railway station (direct from London) is Chippenham. Bath= 11 minutes by train, Bristol= 23mns. Nearest airport : Bristol.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Charity Work
    Art Projects
    Language practice
    Help with Eco Projects
    Elderly Companionship
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
    Help with Computers/ Internet
  • UN sustainablity goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainablity goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN goals
    No poverty
    Zero hunger
    Good health and well-being
    Quality education
    Gender equality
    Clean water and sanitation
    Affordable and clean energy
    Decent work and economic growth
    Industries, innovation and infrastructure
    Reduce inequality
    Sustainable cities and communities
    Responsible consumption and production
    Climate action
    Life below water
    Life on land
    Peace, justice and strong institutions
    Partnerships for the goals
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Gaining a wide range of skills & insights in horticulture, landscaping, garden crafts, art & design.

    Improving self reliance, initiative, confidence.

    Improve spoken and written English.

    Developing an understanding of English heritage, traditions, history, society.

    Explore this part of England and its wide range of historical and cultural attractions.

    Opportunity to interact with the local community and events, incl the church, sports clubs, and wood carving club.

    Join training sessions with local football, volleyball, basketball clubs.

    YOUR HOST:
    Stephen is a gardener/
    designer/conservationist who created a registered charity. He has made an unusual garden from a field.

    He has written many hundreds of articles on: history, heritage, design, gardening, conservation, wildlife, climate change, and education. He is now writing a series books on horticulture, conservation, and well-being.

  • UK chairty

    Registered charity

    This host is a registered charity in the UK and is looking for help with their charity project.

  • Help

    Help

    1. Gardening- all types.
    2. Wildlife/conservation.
    3. DIY/landscaping.
    4. Repairs & maintenance
    5. Digital platforms/social media
    6. Video making & photography.
    7. Heritage excursions.
    8. Sports opportunities (we can offer you our links to local sports clubs e.g. football/volleyball,basketball)
    9. English language polishing.

    ALL our work is charitable & educational and not-for profit. We do not employ workers. We seek to enhance individual life skills & experience and improve international friendship.

    Application process includes receiving our student documents (student welfare, safeguarding, local facilities/guides, health & safety, etc). You can also chat on Whatsapp to get to know more before you make a decision.

    VISAS:
    For standard tourist UK entry to stay with us (as a registered UK charity) for 30 days you do not need a visa.

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Accommodation is in a traditional Englishrural house (built 1885).

    Simple vegetarian meals 3 times a day (milk,cheese,eggs are used) Tea/coffee breaks during the day.

    BEDROOM: Single/private. Wifi. Small table. Big window.

    OTHER: There is a cat. Large fish pond in garden + aquarium in house.
    No smoking household. Low energy usage & ecological living. Organic gardening.

    You can also use the acoustic guitar, and bicycle. Very good collection of contemporary and classical music, films, books, Satellite tv + Netflix. Unlimited wifi/internet.

    Nice big fully equipped summer/study house & additional library at bottom of garden. Vegetable & salad & fruit gardens.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    Bus from Chippenham/Calne/Swindon stops outside the house every 20 minutes. At Chippenham you can get a bus to many other places; or use the main-line railway direct to: London, Bristol, Oxford, Wales and all over England.

    Many interesting walks and lovely English countryside with views of the Avon Vales and the Wessex Downs, & River Marden Valley.

    The famous Bowood House & Gardens (and its acclaimed Golf Resort) is a 12mns walk away.

    Locally there is also:
    Fishing. Cycling. Jogging. Basketball. Volley-ball. Tennis. Museums. Golf. Bmx bike & skateboarding park. Cycle Track Chippenham to Calne. Several Football pitches. Football clubs. Swimming. Friendly church. Walking groups. Wood-carving club in the village.

    If you have any particular hobbies/interests we will try to find connections/outlets for you.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Can host digital nomads

    Can host digital nomads

    There is a garden room for the student to use for online studies in complete privacy. It has a desk and chair, table lamp, wifi access, day bed etc.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    One

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Timetable is flexible. Allow yourself 4 hours Mondays to Friday.

Host ref number: 393882544539

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