Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
24 Jun 2025
Reply rate
85.2 %
Usually responds within 3 days
Feedback
8
Facebook verified
Email verified
Badges (4)
Details
Description
We are a community, educational charity, and an architectural gem hidden in the south Oxfordshire countryside in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Founded in 1950 as an educational trust, it is a continuing experiment in the advantages and problems of living in a group. Community members share responsibility for running the mansion house (a Grade II*️️ listed building), 55 acres of land, kitchen-garden, as well as facilitating educational and alternative courses, events, and festivals too. We are assisted by visiting volunteers from around the world - you could be one of them!
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
• Training in housekeeping, organic gardening, catering for large numbers (for the resident community & volunteers), hosting and running a large venue, and land management
• A reference for future employers
• Informal discussion time, cultural exchange with residents, other volunteers & visitors; experience with intentional community living
• Chance to improve your English (provided your level is already at least intermediate)
• Quiet reflection space for personal projects and transformation
• Learning how to manage garden tools and eventually machines as well
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
A typical day may include...
• housekeeping help, as well as decorating.
• assisting with and cooking for the resident community and volunteers (we are usually about 15-20 people for lunch and supper each day)
• help in the gardens/estate inc. planting, fencing, wood chopping etc.
• maintenance help – if you are comfortable - inc. building renovations
• occasionally doing some hosting tasks when there are guests over
Languages
Languages spoken
English: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
You may be staying in one of our outbuildings situated around the main building as there are a limited number of bed-spaces for volunteers within our 17th-century main building; some of which are listed buildings. You might be asked to share a room with up to two other volunteers. Food will be provided.
Meals are included.
The volunteers also have the opportunity to enjoy the facilities from other rooms within the main house, like the residents' lounge (a room for playing board games or watching movies with a nice projector); the library and the study room, with a collection of books available. There is a ping pong table in the barn (one of our outside buildings), which volunteers can use anytime.
There is the possibility of building bonfires and enjoying the evening outside with the group of volunteers, as well as doing trips together to other cities nearby, or just walking around the beautiful woods in the estate.
What else ...
There is a bus stop 10 minute walk down the lane. The X40 bus comes every 30 minutes to and from Oxford and Reading. From here you can get a train or coach to London and the rest of the UK.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
Feedback (6)
I immediatly felt very welcomed and part of the community. The highlight of my stay was the people I have met there, all very interesting with a big heart.
We were all very close within the group of volunteers and we were organising something… read more
Photos
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
I immediatly felt very welcomed and part of the community. The highlight of my stay was the people I have met there, all very interesting with a big heart.
We were all very close within the group of volunteers and we were organising something… read more
The work was very varied depending on what was on the agenda at the time.
In the summer there are a lot of festivals right above the house and we got to go there… read more
I learned the principle of sharing responsibility. I witnessed everyone… read more
I hope Sophie can return soon!!
It is also… read more
