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Come to our conservation charity garden near Chippenham, Wiltshire, UK

Availability

  2025 

 Min stay requested: at least a week

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    INTRODUCTION:
    Stay at our horticulture & conservation charity close to some of the best tourist sites in England. Hosting students from over 15 countries since 2017, 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, fish pond & wetland, herbs/vegetable/fruit areas. No previous experience required. Stay from as little as 10days. You do not need a visa (see #4 below)

    1. Male students age 18-28 only.
    (2. Female accommodation depends on local host families).
    3. Schedule 18hrs: Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Wednesday are free days.
    Help out in garden on Tuesday & Thursday + Friday morning
    4. Some countries do not need a visa as UK registered charities have exemption from the restrictions for visitors volunteering up to 30 days. (See: UK Government website 'Standard Visitor Entry').

    WHAT WE DO:
    ●Maintain a charity conservation garden. ●Make videos. ●Publish books. ●Conservation remote projects 7 UK universities. ●E.U. placements. ●Library: (conservation, art, history, horticulture, heritage)

    SPORTS: On-site Gymnasium (twin weight stack/fixed weight/3 seating position system + free weights). Good countryside for jogging. Use of a bicycle.
    Links with local sports clubs: football/volleyball/basketball.
    Bowood golf resort is a short walk away.

    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.

    A UK '16-25 Railcard' (available to all citizens of the EEA) for £30 gives you ⅓ reduction on price of all rail journeys.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Charity Work
    Help with Eco Projects
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
    Help with Computers/ Internet
  • UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainability 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.

    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:
    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.

  • Charity

    Registered charity

    This host is a registered charity in the UK and is looking for help with their charity project. Guidance on charity worker sponsorship by a UK registered charity, can be found here.

  • Help

    Help

    1. Gardening- all types.
    2. Wildlife & conservation.
    3. Decorating/DIY
    4. Repairs/outbuilding maintenance
    5. Landscaping
    6. Helping out generally
    Also if interested help with
    7. Digital platforms/social media
    8. Video making & photography.

    We seek to enhance individual life skills & experience and improve international friendship.

    VISAS:
    1. No visa is required from the E.U. etc if volunteering with us (as this is a registered charity) for up to 30 days. See: "UK Standard Visitor Entry". (Note: volunteering is different from being a 'charity worker' re UK Govt immigration rules)
    2. All visitors to the UK require ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation- similar to the E.U.'s ETIAS, & the U.S.A.'s ETAS). On-line: £10 for 2 years.

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Accommodation is in a traditional English rural house (built 1885).

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

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

    OTHER: 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. Unlimited wifi/internet.

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

  • 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

Host ref number: 393882544539

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Photos

The image depicts a small bedroom with a bed, bookshelves, and a window, showcasing a cozy and cluttered space with a mix of furniture and personal items.
The image depicts a cozy dining room with a wooden table and chairs, a bookshelf, and a washing machine, set against a warm yellow wall.
Two men stand on either side of stone griffins in a garden, with a fountain and arbor in the background, surrounded by lush greenery and trees.
The image depicts a cozy living room with a fireplace, TV, and bookshelves, featuring a warm and inviting atmosphere with comfortable seating and decorative elements.
The image depicts a serene garden with a fountain, sundial, and arbor, featuring lush greenery, vibrant flowers, and a brick pathway, evoking a sense of tranquility and natural beauty.
The image depicts a home gym with a weight machine and rack of weights, set against a wooden wall background. The room is well-lit and organized.
The image depicts a cozy room with a desk, chair, bookshelves, and a couch, featuring a warm and inviting atmosphere with natural light and comfortable seating.
The image depicts an older man cradling a fluffy cat in a serene garden setting, surrounded by lush greenery and a tranquil pond.
The image depicts a serene garden scene featuring three statues of classical figures amidst lush greenery, with a gazebo and trellis in the background on a cloudy day.
The image depicts a small, light blue wooden house with a porch and a clock on the side, surrounded by a garden with chairs and a flag.
The image depicts a serene garden with a fountain, arbor, and various plants, showcasing a harmonious blend of natural beauty and decorative elements.
The image depicts a serene garden scene featuring a pond, bench, and arbor, surrounded by lush greenery and trees, with a small greenhouse in the background.
The image depicts a serene garden with a lush green lawn, vibrant flowers, and a blue arbor, creating a peaceful outdoor space.

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