Sustainable Living Romiley is seeking a Volunteer Gardener to assist in maintaining our community green spaces. This is a voluntary role, offering an excellent opportunity to contribute to climate action within Stockport borough, increase biodiversity, grow food to share with local residents, and gain experience of working in a community space.
The volunteer will help us to carry out regular maintenance of the green spaces managed by Sustainable Living Romiley. These are currently:
o Bookworms Community Garden, Bredbury Library
o Romiley Car Park Meadow
o Theatre Garden, Romiley Precinct
o Incredible Edible Garden, Romiley Station (due to be relocated)
Benefits:
• All equipment is provided, including gloves if needed.
• A reasonable contribution towards travel costs may be given where funding allows. We would encourage the use of active travel or EV where possible. The 383/ 384 bus route passes within 10 mins walking distance of all sites. Romiley train station is within 5mins walking distance of all the Romiley sites, Bredbury and Romiley Stations are approx. 15-20mins distance from the Bredbury site.
• A reasonable share of any food grown on site may be taken by the volunteer.
• The volunteer is welcome to take any cuttings, excess propagated plants, excess materials, or green waste for their own reuse. E.g. branches, flowerpots, pallet wood, etc.
Role
Key aspects of the role include:
• Working both independently and with members of the Sustainable Living Romiley committee to carry out various tasks at the green space sites.
• Tasks at these sites could include; sowing seeds, propagating, planting out; pruning shrubs, clearing dead plants, overgrowth or invasive plant species; harvesting fruit and vegetables; digging and shovelling; painting; minor woodwork repairs; litter picking; and other tasks unique to each site.
• Planting schemes will be decided with guidance from the Sustainable Living Romiley committee; and you may be asked to support and advise the committee on matters relating to planting for biodiversity and harvesting potential.
• Working with the committee to devise the best way to allocate funding e.g., purchasing materials and equipment.
• You will be acting as a point of contact between the group and members of the public who may approach you during work to ask about the green spaces or the group.
You may also be asked if interested to
• Support Sustainable Living Romiley in holding or hosting events in the green spaces including task days and other community engagement activities.
• Monitoring wildlife through surveys or counts or by using appropriate apps.
About you:
We are looking for someone who supports the aims and ethos of Sustainable Living Romiley namely growing things organically, working with nature, and working towards zero waste by following reduce and reuse practices.
You are enthusiastic about environmental sustainability.
You are happy working as a team
You would enjoy helping to guide our green space projects forward.
This role would best suit conservation or horticulture students; retired experienced gardeners; amateur gardeners keen to get more experience or who have limited green space at home.
We make take on more that one person in this role.