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Host rating
100 %
Last replied
13 Apr 2024
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 2 days
Feedback
88
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Details
Description
Hi, we are Sheila and Cliff,
We live in a beautiful nature reserve 22 acres, which is quite close to a village but down a long track and extremely private.
We also have 3 large polytunnels and grow a lot of our own food.
The help we require is an au pair (or au pairs :) to have energetic fun with our adopted autistic son. He is non verbal and very happy and smiley. He loves to have people to play with and he has an adventure playground in our large barn, with enormous drop slide and massive trampoline. He also loves to go cycling and walking.
Before we adopted Connor (our son) we were foster carers for many years and we also home schooled 4 children. We now have 6 grandchildren and see them regularly.
Our passion for many years has been wild life conservation and we are managing the 22 acres as a "human animal" free wild life reserve. We are mainly rewilding it. In the absence of dogs, cats, chickens, sheep, horses and cows many wild animals have found a peaceful home here. We have many resident owls, bats, frogs, and toads. We have also seen foxes, badgers, polecats, hedgehogs, weasels and deer.
The whole reserve is organic and we use no bleaches, pesticides or weedkillers.
We are also passionate about growing as much of our own food as possible.
We are asking for 10 hours volunteering a week in return for the accommodation and although we will happily feed you sometimes we would also like you to do some self catering. There will be fresh veg from the garden and we have sacks of rice, lentils, oats, flour, chickpeas etc. You will probably need your own transport to stay here.
We are really keen for any of our visitors/volunteers to value their wild life experience. We are also keen to introduce them to eco cleaning products and for them to understand the impact of using petrochemicals. We are on a private water supply and sewage system and we encourage visitors to be conscious of what they put in the water. For instance we try to use compost toilets as a ways of reducing the water we use and the pollution that we create. We have been pragmatic vegans for mainly years.
The volunteering position is best suited to two people as we think 1 person could be lonely on the bus. Also having your own transport would be very useful.
Thanks for reading.Types of help and learning opportunities
Babysitting and creative playCultural exchange and learning opportunities
We have hosted many volunteers from workaway (see reviews).
As mentioned we have a lot of experience with fostering, gardening, ecology, If you are interested in any of these topics don't hesitate to ask!
The local castles and parks of Carmarthenshire are lovely and we live a 50 minute drive from some truly beautiful beaches. The country town of Llandeilo is 4.5 KM and you can cycle there. Llandeilo is a picturesque little town with many pubs and an award winning ice cream parlor. At the edge of Llandeilo there is also an old manor house which is owned by the National Trust and is open to the public. The manor house is surrounded by a deer park which has many massive trees of national importance. There is also an historic Castle a short walk from the manor which is a great place to visit for panoramic views of the Towy valley.Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Helping to entertain a young person with autism, as well as visiting grandchildren.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
A double decker bus, which was used for glamping last year. It has electric and water, it's own shower and toilet. It also has a wood burner for any cold evenings.
What else ...
There is good walking in the area, there is an Iron age hill fort, and a big lake that you can go swimming in a short walk away. The nature reserve is beautiful and peaceful.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
We have a good private park up and access to outside loo and shower
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
15 hours a week
Feedback (40)
He is physically fit and able, and was happy to chip in, in the kitchen as well as outside.
He has his own transport so he was able to go out on his own, and he was also very appreciative of what we had to offer here.
He was of course excellent… read more
Photos
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
He is physically fit and able, and was happy to chip in, in the kitchen as well as outside.
He has his own transport so he was able to go out on his own, and he was also very appreciative of what we had to offer here.
He was of course excellent… read more
Jason is a really salt of the earth kind of guy, he is more mature than many people of his age and having had the experience of doing hard fulltime work really… read more
Sheila, Cliff and the workaway couple are great Vegan Chefs and I completely loved the nutritious food. Most evenings we would often play board and card games, and sometimes… read more
Anyway needless to say… read more
I will keep a very good memory of this first experience with Workaway and all the moments spent with the family (card games, walks, work on the farm,… read more
Good food and nice conversations every day, varied and fun work and a beautiful property are just some of the numerous things that will expect you staying with Max, Maggie, Sheila, Cliff.… read more
I've been staying here for 5 weeks and as my first workaway experience I was so lucky to be with Sheila, Cliff, Max and Connor. They welcomed me as is if I was part of their family. You can't find a similar way of life elsewhere. Having a cancellation problem with my next hosts, they helped me and offered me to stay… read more
The work was varied and not too hard and Sheila and Cliff made… read more
The work wasn't hard (I did some painting, cleaning, tree planting, looking after Conner (childcaring), cementing,..) and I… read more
The tasks I did were different everyday, so I had a lot of fun. The food is really good, and really healthy as well. Sometimes we played… read more
I can rececommend staying with them from… read more
I am thankful for witnessing and experiencing your ways of living.
Learning a lot as I go, resonating… read more
I actually don't think I could have met a more nice family and I spent three weeks in this house, helping them and also chatting with them, we had great discussions and I… read more