“If you are ever presented with the opportunity to do some voluntary work at Roots and Shoots - grab it! The place will gladden your heart, and renew your faith in humans and nature.”
Make a Difference by Volunteering at Roots and Shoots
Roots and Shoots regularly hosts corporate and non-profit volunteers, who do invaluable work gardening and maintaining our site.
Although our staff and students undertake much of the garden maintenance as part of their training, it is not enough to fully maintain our large biodiverse site. We depend on volunteer groups to do some of the more practical activities which help underpin the high standard of our gardens, such as weeding, hedge pruning, and making compost.
Volunteer groups are supported by our expert gardeners, so regardless of gardening experience, groups can get stuck in and make a positive impact.
We are able to take groups of people between 4 and 20, for half or full days.
Organisations can contact us to arrange volunteer groups directly, which can be combined with venue hire for meetings and away days. We also work with Volunteering Matters, who refer corporate volunteer groups to spend their annual volunteer days at Roots and Shoots.
We are grateful to our volunteers for their hard work, and so we don't charge fees for corporate volunteering. A donation from the organisation taking part is greatly appreciated however, with donations going towards materials for the day, supervisory staffing costs and our environmental projects.
We are a busy site, so it’s best to contact us well in advance to avoid disappointment. Please note that over Winter, between mid December and early March, we are closed to volunteer groups.
Benefits for volunteer groups at Roots and Shoots include:
Directly supporting an award-winning educational charity and the local community it serves
Directly supporting London’s biodiversity by helping to maintain our green spaces which are home to a wide range of wildlife
Excellent practical team building activities
An optional delicious vegetarian lunch, made in our kitchens by our chefs and students, available upon request
An example day at Roots and Shoots...
The group arrives at 9.30am, with the aim to start at 10am, and a room acting as the group base for the day.
A member of our team gives an introduction to Roots and Shoots, including a tour of the site, the positive impact of volunteering, and a health and safety induction
We explain the tasks for the day, and provide all tools required. Each group is supervised by a member of staff who gives support and guidance to ensure the task is completed successfully.
Lunch is generally an hour, with the option of bringing your own or pre-ordering catering for the whole group.
Groups generally finish just after 3pm, feeling satisfied after a day of practical work which has directly helped Roots and Shoots to thrive.
“I organised an away day for my team here and the folks at Roots and Shoots couldn't have been more welcoming, accommodating and living what they breathe.”
