NB.
New times for Wed’s and Fri’s are 10am – 3pm
There will be a winter break from volunteer sessions
Last session of 2024: Wed 18 Dec
First session of 2025: Fri 3 Jan
Help provide local food, enhance an urban wildlife area and improve the space for the community. We are incredibly grateful to all our volunteers. We hope you can join us to discover and help an amazing urban green space! Please read all the info below before registering.
- Visit on any Wednesday or Friday between 10am and 3pm to see the site and find out more. Please notify us in advance. Details of how to find us are at this link.
- If you wish to take part in tasks you will first need to fill in the form linked to here.
- After taking part, you can decide whether to volunteer further.
- A certificate is available on request after at least 8 sessions.
If the online form doesn’t work or if you have any questions not covered here, please get in touch. To stay updated please join our mailing list.
Where? Link with directions to the farm.
Contact: volunteer@hcf.org.uk or 07811376870
When can I volunteer?
Wednesdays 10am – 3pm
Fridays 10am – 3pm
Tasks
Tasks are seasonal. You might be involved in planting, harvesting, watering, digging, weeding, cutting back, mowing or hedge trimming etc.
Benefits to You
Get the great feeling of making a difference, being outdoors, learning new skills and meeting new people. Gain experience of organic growing and site maintenance. Certificates are available after at least 8 sessions.
Optional: Earn Citizen Coin every session
Register with the Citizen Coin website or app then sign up to Horton Community Farm’s Citizen Coin listing to receive 4 Bradford Coins every time you attend for at least 3 hours. Your digital Bradford Coins can be exchanged for discounts from local and City Centre retailers or passed on to anyone else who is registered.
Benefits to the Community
Share your knowledge, experience and energy and help preserve this fantastic urban green space for generations to come. Grow local food and help maintain the community’s connection with nature & wildlife. Volunteering at HCF helps enable our range of programmes including:
- Food growing & nature play for families and their 0-5’s
- Mindfulness gardening sessions for over 50’s and their carers
- A programme of activities for sanctuary seekers
- Access to allotments for the local community
Is there a minimum time commitment?
The first session you attend will enable you to decide whether you would like to volunteer regularly. Ideally, we like our volunteers to commit to a day a week for 2 months or 2 days a week for a month. However, we are always flexible and grateful for any support.
Please fill out an online form to register.
Can anyone volunteer?
We aim to make our services accessible to as wide a range of the public as possible. It’s very rare that we can’t harness your skills and enthusiasm! If we can’t accommodate your specific needs at this time we hope to be in touch in the future when we have more capacity.
We are committed to ensuring that every volunteer is treated fairly regardless of age, disability, ethnic origin, marital or parental status, political belief, religion, gender or sexual orientation.
Accessibility
There is a long flat grass track to access part of the site which wheelchair users can manage but may find difficult. If you have special access needs and would like to volunteer, please contact us for more details at volunteer@hcf.org.uk Some areas of the site are more difficult to reach than others owing to slopes and muddy patches. We will be working on improving access going forward.
Children under 16 years old
All supervisors of volunteer sessions are DBS checked.
We are unable to provide extra supervision to your child above that given to adult volunteers so they will need to be able to work fairly independently either alongside you, or on their own. At times this will be with no staff supervision once a task has been set and basic guidance given.
If you are aged 12-15 you can attend unaccompanied by an adult but your parent or carer must fill in the parental consent form at this link.
Younger children must be accompanied by an adult who remains responsible for their child’s safety at all times.
Can I just turn up, without registering?
Yes, if you would like to look round, please pop in, but if you wish to take part in tasks you will need to fill in the form first. We are happy to guide you through the online form if needed. Ideally, let us know before you visit so we can best prepare and have someone to show you round.
We have a registration process to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable time, you are well looked after and your support is put to best use.
Preparation Checklist
- Sturdy footwear – Work-boots, old walking boots or wellingtons are recommended if you have them. We have a good range of boots if you don’t have your own. Waterproof footwear in wet weather or when the grass is wet is essential. Tasks that involve lifting heavy objects require steel toe-capped boots. Most of our boots are steel toe-capped.
- Gloves – We have a wide range of gloves available. You can keep a pair for the length of your volunteering. If they get wet it is advisable to take them home to dry out. You can also bring your own of course.
- Weather & mud appropriate clothing – Wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. If it’s raining, obviously wet weather clothing will be needed. Some regularly re-waterproofed raincoats are available to borrow. If it’s sunny, sunblock and a sun-hat is recommended.
- Water – Hot drinks and cold water are provided. We do however recommend you bring your own bottle of water or other drink for easy access while working. In hot weather you will need a large amount of water to keep hydrated.
- Lunch – If you will be volunteering for a full session, please bring a packed lunch with you or use one of the very nearby shops.
Provided
- Hot drinks
- Cold water top-up
- Tools
- Gloves if needed
- Boots if needed
- Coat if needed
- Compost toilet
- Shelter
- Seating
Facilities
There is plenty of seating and shelter from the rain in our cabins and polytunnel. We have a compost toilet that is clean and tidy.
Weather
Light drizzle won’t effect tasks but when there is heavy, persistent rain it is best to come another day! Snow that is settling or dangerously high winds will force the volunteer session to be cancelled.