**Please note: we are looking for guests who want to stay with us for a few months at least - ideally longer. If you want a speedy reply PLEASE write in your subject line the dates you'd like to stay - we get a lot of messages!**
We are a busy London family: we are both self-employed so our working hours can be quite variable, and Christian travels abroad for about a week each month. In addition, we've both recently become trustees of a local charity that was about to close down (we're still trying to save it from that fate!). In case all that wasn't enough, we have two very energetic children aged 6 and 2; a house that we are still (after 8 years!) working on; and an allotment (a small plot of land for growing food) too!
We bought our house together with Serena's brother Alex (and his cat). Since then we have added two children, another cat and a hive of bees (we would like to keep chickens but first we need to build an enclosure secure enough from the foxes which are EVERYWHERE in London). Since both children are boys, Serena is now completely outnumbered by messy males and definitely appreciates an extra hand teaching them all to clean up after themselves.
If you speak Norwegian that's a bonus so our children can grow up hearing more of their Pappa's language (and maybe you can help Serena a little with my very unconfident Norwegian conversation...) But there aren't very many Norwegian-speakers in the world so that's just an added bonus :-)
According to Workaway rules, in the UK we can now only advertise for an au pair or a house-sitter; most of our previous Workaway guests have got involved with anything and everything we have going on, and some of them have loved working on our allotment and having food grown at home.
Our house is a good fit for workawayers who:
- Want to be welcomed into a family and become an important part of it for a substantial length of time
- Have a great sense of initiative and can look around them and notice the tasks that need to be done
- Love keeping a space clean and tidy and nice to be in, with great attention to detail and would rather do a job properly than hastily :-)
- Enjoy the company of small children and animals
- Are passionate about nature and love to grow things
- Have an enthusiastic, positive attitude to life
Tipos de ajuda e oportunidades de aprendizado
Jardinagem geral
Projetos DIY criativos
Cuidar de crianças/atividades criativas
Criar/cozinhar refeições caseiras
Ajuda a cuidar da casa
Interesses
Montanhas
Praia
Ciclismo
Mochilão
Cuidar de plantas
Música
Livros
Jardinagem
Sustentabilidade
Trabalho beneficente
Oportunidades de intercâmbio cultural e aprendizado
Of course we will look after you, introduce you to London culture etc. On the evenings when Christian cooks you can expect to be fed extremely well (when I'm on my own my supper, if I remember it, tends to consist of beer and Pringles...) Christian's diabetic, so we usually try to have a diet that's low in carbohydrates to keep his blood sugar more stable (also sadly after two babies this is nowadays the only way I can keep my waistline stable). This inevitably means we eat quite a lot of meat, fish and other animal-derived products so we might not be the best hosts for a vegetarian (or, like one lovely Italian guest we had, someone can't survive a single day without eating pasta :-D )
Several of our workaway guests have come back for a repeat visit so I think they enjoy their time here :-)
The help varies quite a lot depending on the time of year and what our work commitments are. At the moment both of us are doing a lot of volunteering for a local charity that almost closed down last summer - and since we're both involved, that sometimes means we need someone to entertain the children while we're at a meeting. Christian travels for work about one week in four, so I'll need a little extra help on those weeks staying on top of housework and getting the children to the various places they need to b.
It's probably going to appeal most to people who love bringing order to chaos, enjoy the outdoors, or like home improvements :-) Serena spends a lot of time working on the garden and allotment and some of our previous Workaway guests have really enjoyed being involved with that :-) (This is not part of your duties as Workaway rules for au pairs state you cannot be asked to help with gardening.)
Idiomas
Inglês: Fluente
Norwegian: Fluente
Acomodação
You would have your own room, on the top floor of the house. We live in a lovely Victorian house with a garden, which was in a pretty bad state when we bought it, and which we're doing up. However the top floor is now almost completely finished and has a brand new bathroom, and small balcony with a lovely view! The only other person on the top floor is Alex, so you will only be sharing 'your' bathroom with him :-)
All our Workaway guests have said they love the house - even when we had no showers and the bedrooms didn't have doors yet! - so I guess we're doing something right :-)
Algo mais...
We live in zone 3 of London, so it's a bit quieter than the centre and has a strong community feel, but it's still really easy to get in to central London when you want to. If you're happy riding a bicycle you'll find it really easy to get about and find local coffee shops, pubs, the shopping centre etc. There are several parks nearby which we've learned to appreciate properly in the last couple of years!
Mais alguns detalhes
Acesso à internet
Acesso à internet limitado
Temos mascotes
Somos fumantes
Pode hospedar famílias
Pode hospedar nômades digitais
Since there are 3 of us working from home we have made sure we have really good internet and we're on a business contract so get priority from the provider for fixing any outages.
My stay with Serena and Christian was absolutely wonderful from beginning to end. They were incredibly welcoming and made me feel at home from the moment I arrived. They always checked in to make sure I had everything I needed and were very thoughtful about ensuring I had time for myself on my days off, which I really appreciated.
Taking care of… read more Samuel and Theodore was such a joy. They are both incredibly smart, sweet, and full of personality. Although they are very different from one another, they are each lovely in their own unique way, and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with them.
During my stay, I had the opportunity to help on the allotment, which I really enjoyed, and I even got to help with the new kittens! There was always a nice balance of tasks, and I felt trusted and included as part of the family.
I enjoyed my experience so much that I was able to come back after my initial stay, and I would happily return again in the future. I couldn't recommend Serena and Christian more highly to other Workawayers looking for a warm, supportive, and welcoming host family.
Thank you both again for opening your home to me and for all the wonderful memories :)
Mitzi was such a wonderful addition to our home... Kind, efficient and multi-skilled - nothing was ever too much trouble for her and I spent more time urging her to relax a bit than asking her to help! We've welcomed many wonderful Workaway guests into our home over the years, and Mitzi stands out as one of the absolute best. Come back any time,… read more Mitzi!
(Excelente
)
27 mar. 2026
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Jenevieve) para o anfitrião
This family is so amazing and I can't thank them enough! I stayed with them for one month in Feb 2026. The house and location is incredible! It's outside of london so you don't feel too much in the city, but it's also only a short way away from the center of london, so you can get there easily. Serena and Christian are 10/10 parents, they know… read more exactly what they are doing and I'm so happy I got to learn from them! They are also kind, funny, and loving people so I know anyone who stays with them will have a good experience! Both kids are absolutely darling and I love them both soooo much!! They are wild and energetic boys, but they are also very kind, smart, and creative. The work was easy and hardly felt like work. Some basic cleaning, picking the boys up from school or dropping them off (5-10 min walk), playing with the boys or taking them to the park, or helping Serena with some gardening or oddball jobs. Very very easy :)
Big thank you to Serena and Christian for welcoming me into your home!! You are so amazing! I highly recommend these hosts to any volunteer!
(Excelente
)
14 dez. 2022
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Gabriela) para o anfitrião
It was a great first Workaway experience during all 6 months. There is a lot of work to do indeed, and as a workaway I had to be resilient to schedules and demands, but I could count on the support of Serena and Christhian. Theodore is a lovely, smiling and very independent baby, when I arrived he was 8 months old and already had the discipline to… read more use the potty. Samuel is a very intelligent and sociable child, and his passions include books and maths. Alex, Serena's brother, is a great roomate next door, passionate about board games, always willing to help and explain me some of the house rules and also showing me some pubs in the region. Christhian is a great cook and I would never have eaten so well if I had paid for my food in the expensive London restaurants, and they say he has a bad jokes, but it's another of his qualities besides his good taste in music. Serena is a great mother, a brilliant mind who helps bring order to the system. She is passionate about nature and as a biologist mother she introduces this universe very well to the children. I really felt part of this family. And of course! The house mascot, Nagel (the cat), who is very affectionate and always hungry. I left this experience knowing that there would be a long journey improving my English, but for sure my skills on the bike were improved. I'll miss every detail that makes this family unique, I'll definitely come back for a visit.
Só é possível entrar em contato com Workawayers com assinaturas ativas.
My stay with Serena and Christian was absolutely wonderful from beginning to end. They were incredibly welcoming and made me feel at home from the moment I arrived. They always checked in to make sure I had everything I needed and were very thoughtful about ensuring I had time for myself on my days off, which I really appreciated.
Taking care of… read more Samuel and Theodore was such a joy. They are both incredibly smart, sweet, and full of personality. Although they are very different from one another, they are each lovely in their own unique way, and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with them.
During my stay, I had the opportunity to help on the allotment, which I really enjoyed, and I even got to help with the new kittens! There was always a nice balance of tasks, and I felt trusted and included as part of the family.
I enjoyed my experience so much that I was able to come back after my initial stay, and I would happily return again in the future. I couldn't recommend Serena and Christian more highly to other Workawayers looking for a warm, supportive, and welcoming host family.
Thank you both again for opening your home to me and for all the wonderful memories :)
Mitzi was such a wonderful addition to our home... Kind, efficient and multi-skilled - nothing was ever too much trouble for her and I spent more time urging her to relax a bit than asking her to help! We've welcomed many wonderful Workaway guests into our home over the years, and Mitzi stands out as one of the absolute best. Come back any time,… read more Mitzi!
(Excelente)
27 mar. 2026
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Jenevieve) para o anfitrião
This family is so amazing and I can't thank them enough! I stayed with them for one month in Feb 2026. The house and location is incredible! It's outside of london so you don't feel too much in the city, but it's also only a short way away from the center of london, so you can get there easily. Serena and Christian are 10/10 parents, they know… read more exactly what they are doing and I'm so happy I got to learn from them! They are also kind, funny, and loving people so I know anyone who stays with them will have a good experience! Both kids are absolutely darling and I love them both soooo much!! They are wild and energetic boys, but they are also very kind, smart, and creative. The work was easy and hardly felt like work. Some basic cleaning, picking the boys up from school or dropping them off (5-10 min walk), playing with the boys or taking them to the park, or helping Serena with some gardening or oddball jobs. Very very easy :)
Big thank you to Serena and Christian for welcoming me into your home!! You are so amazing! I highly recommend these hosts to any volunteer!
(Excelente)
14 dez. 2022
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Gabriela) para o anfitrião
It was a great first Workaway experience during all 6 months. There is a lot of work to do indeed, and as a workaway I had to be resilient to schedules and demands, but I could count on the support of Serena and Christhian. Theodore is a lovely, smiling and very independent baby, when I arrived he was 8 months old and already had the discipline to… read more use the potty. Samuel is a very intelligent and sociable child, and his passions include books and maths. Alex, Serena's brother, is a great roomate next door, passionate about board games, always willing to help and explain me some of the house rules and also showing me some pubs in the region. Christhian is a great cook and I would never have eaten so well if I had paid for my food in the expensive London restaurants, and they say he has a bad jokes, but it's another of his qualities besides his good taste in music. Serena is a great mother, a brilliant mind who helps bring order to the system. She is passionate about nature and as a biologist mother she introduces this universe very well to the children. I really felt part of this family. And of course! The house mascot, Nagel (the cat), who is very affectionate and always hungry. I left this experience knowing that there would be a long journey improving my English, but for sure my skills on the bike were improved. I'll miss every detail that makes this family unique, I'll definitely come back for a visit.
Só é possível entrar em contato com Workawayers com assinaturas ativas.
(Excelente)
25 jun. 2021
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Jade) para o anfitrião
I had such a great time in SE London with the family. A great experience, with a chilled and welcoming atmosphere the time I spent with Samuel was really enjoyable he is a very intelligent and loving boy. And Let’s not forget Christian’s amazing cooking! Serena is very welcoming and Alex has some great fun and games. Thank you for the opportunity!… read more I look forward to seeing you again.
Só é possível entrar em contato com Workawayers com assinaturas ativas.
(Excelente)
12 jul. 2019
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Saskia) para o anfitrião
I was originally planning to stay for three months. The fact that this turned into 8 months says a lot, really. It's gonna be hard for me to leave Samuel, Christian's good food and bad jokes, Serena's support and company and the game and TV nights with Alex behind. Not sure how much I'll miss the mad dog, but I'll definitely miss the cat's… read more cuddles. I had my own room, the use of a bike, and it was easy to get to central London and explore the city.
Só é possível entrar em contato com Workawayers com assinaturas ativas.
(Excelente)
17 jun. 2019
Feito pelo anfitrião para o Workawayer (Saskia)
Saskia originally came to stay with us for a few months - well, we asked her if she'd like to extend it to 5 months, and now she's staying for 8! I think that says it all really :-) She's joined in with family activities, been hardworking and a great help.
(Excelente)
26 jan. 2019
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Leona) para o anfitrião
I was more than lucky to come to stay with Serena and her family. I couldn't ask for a nicer and easier-going baby than Samuel is. He is such a positive little human! They are a loving family and I felt really welcomed from the first moment. Their dinner table is never short of delicious food (hats off to Christian), humour and laughter. The work… read more didn't even feel like work and I was well looked after. I value their support and help with my own path.
Also, whether it were trips out of London, traditional desserts or watching TV, I feel properly introduced to British culture and I am in love (with Mr Darcy especially). What I found surprising was that even though you are living in London, you can be a part of a strong community and I am thankful for all the people I met and for them letting me to belong there for some time. I can't wait to visit again.
Só é possível entrar em contato com Workawayers com assinaturas ativas.
(Excelente)
14 jan. 2019
Feito pelo anfitrião para o Workawayer (Leona)
Leona was a huge help in our home! She is very mature for her age and highly driven and determined. She was always cheerful and helpful, and went about her tasks intelligently. I would have gladly had her to stay longer and she is welcome to come back any time :-)
(Excelente)
29 jul. 2018
Feito pelo anfitrião para o Workawayer (Louisa)
Louisa was a fantastic workaway guest! She was extremely efficient and got through the work very quickly; she has plenty of initiative and often figured out what needed doing without even being asked; and even more importantly, whatever the job she always did it with a smile on her face! Louisa stayed with us for several months and was a huge help.
(Excelente)
29 jul. 2018
Feito pelo anfitrião para o Workawayer (Tanguy)
Tanguy was such a great guy to have around! He was really helpful and it was actually quite hard to persuade him to stop working :-D Come back and visit any time!
(Excelente)
15 dez. 2017
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Giulia) para o anfitrião
Staying with Serena and her family was an amazing first Workaway experience. I had a wonderful time with Samuel. He one of the most calmest children I have ever met! He laughs a lot and I already miss Christian speaking to him in Norwegian. Christian is a fantastic cook and you should definitely try his sweet potatoes when you're there...
You can… read more always cuddle Nigel, the cat, who is so sweet!
I had so much fun with Marcus, too. He will not live there for long, because he is getting married :)
And then there is Alex with his weird humor, that I realy enjoyed and his direct and honest way to communicate.
The work was easy and fun. Everyone is very helpful when you have trouble finding your way through this big city.
I miss you all and will definitely come and visit you when I'm in London again!
Só é possível entrar em contato com Workawayers com assinaturas ativas.
(Excelente)
11 dez. 2017
Feito pelo anfitrião para o Workawayer (Giulia)
Giulia was such a fantastic help! From the moment she arrived she got straight into helping out and fitting in with our family. She has initiative and intelligence, completes tasks sensibly and cheerfully and often figured out what needed doing before I'd even asked her! We missed her very much when she left.
(Excelente)
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Jardinagem geral
Projetos DIY criativos
Cuidar de crianças/atividades criativas
Criar/cozinhar refeições caseiras
Ajuda a cuidar da casa
Montanhas
Praia
Ciclismo
Mochilão
Cuidar de plantas
Música
Livros
Jardinagem
Sustentabilidade
Trabalho beneficente
