Nature volunteering with the Friends

Get involved in helping us care for the wildlife and plant life of the park, learn some gardening skills, and meet like-minded people! We supply all tools and equipment. You need to bring your own lunch and drinks, and wear clothes and shoes suitable for working outdoors. You must be 16 or older to attend. Dates book up quickly, but it's worth joining the waiting list as people do cancel.

We usually work in the Cemetery Park, but on Thursdays and Fridays we work on land that isn't part of the historic cemetery, e.g. Fairfoot Road Woodland, Ackroyd Drive meadows, and Scrapyard Meadow. Perfect if you aren't keen on being near graves! The meeting point is still the Soanes Centre, but if you prefer to meet us elsewhere please email us.

If you have difficulty booking, please email contact@fothcp.org or call 0208 983 1277 and leave a message with your name, phone, email, and the date you'd like to book.

What to bring

1. Wear sturdy shoes, trousers (no shorts!), and ideally long sleeves. Dress for the weather. Wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. We have lots of stinging nettles and brambles!
2. Bring your own food and drinks (we'd recommend a snack, lunch and a thermos flask). Make sure it’s enough to last you for the duration.
3. Bring your own gardening/work gloves, hand sanitiser and a face mask if you have them.
4. There is nowhere to leave your belongings. Please do not bring anything you aren’t willing to carry with you. If you travel by bike, we can’t offer indoor storage. You can lock up your bike outside but within the Soanes Centre railings.

On the day

1. Please arrive on time and go to the meeting area: in front of the tool shed, the Soanes Centre, E3 4PX.
2. You will only be permitted into buildings to use the toilet.
3. Maintain two metres distance between yourself and other people.
4. You will get instructions on the activities that you will be carrying out, general Health & Safety measures and COVID-19 specific controls. If you do not follow these instructions, you will be asked to leave.

Covid

1. Do not attend sessions if you or a member of your household/support bubble have COVID-19 symptoms. If you develop or display symptoms on the day, you will be asked to leave. Please check your symptoms and whether it’s suitable for you to volunteer.
2. Follow government guidance on travelling to the Cemetery Park. Avoid using public transport.
3. Volunteering is allowed provided we take reasonable steps to reduce the risk of transmission. Our volunteering is well-controlled: tools are cleaned, we have hand sanitiser, soap, and plenty of space for people to keep their distance.
4. We will design activities to minimise the need for volunteers to be close to each other and share tools. We will provide resources to clean tools if they need to be shared.
5. The Friends will collect contact information on attendees and they will be provided to national or local government Test and Trace services on request. Apart from Test and Trace, we will treat your data in accordance with our data protection policies.
6. While the Friends have put in place measures to reduce risks, all social and physical interactions carry a risk of COVID-19 infection. If you or a member of your household/support bubble have underlying medical conditions or concerns relating to becoming infected, please carefully consider whether you want to attend this event.

Click here for more information and to view our full COVID-19 policy and data protection policy.