Volunteering at Bedgebury

Make new friends, help a great cause and work in the amazing surroundings of the National Pinetum and Forest… all great reasons for volunteering at Bedgebury.

Opportunities to volunteer vary from assisting with events to practical work in the pinetum; the following key groups are currently open to new volunteers:

Volunteer at Forest Live 

Volunteer dates: Monday 8 June to Monday 15 June

Love your forest and love music? Be a part of Forest Live and volunteer with us to help make this amazing music event happen.

Explore the volunteer roles available below and then complete an Expression of interest form to let us know which role you are interested in and what dates you can do. We will send you further details and a registration form to allow you to apply if you wish to proceed.

Volunteer Role: Set up and take down team

• When: 8, 9, 10, 11 and 15 June
• What will you do: Help the Bedgebury staff to install important signage around the concert site to ensure concert goers, staff, contractors and the artists all know where they are going.

Volunteer Role: Delivery Team

• When: 12, 13  and 14 June, 3.30pm to 11pm
• What will you do: Meet and greet concert goers, giving directions, litter picking, possible assistance with access for priority parking & accessible platform visitors.

Volunteer Role: Box Office Assistant

• When: 12, 13  and 14 June, 3.30pm to 11pm
• What will you do: Help with ticket queries and litter picking.

Express your interest in Forest Live   

Visitor experience volunteers

‘VEVs’ play a key role in meeting visitors to Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest, helping with queries, giving directions and advice and providing a warm welcome to the site. This is a great opportunity to meet lots of people whist helping to give visitors all the information they need for a memorable visit to Bedgebury.

Practical conservation and habitat monitoring volunteers 

There are several groups who work under the guidance of the tree team at Bedgebury National Pinetum, helping to maintain our internationally renowned conifer collection. Typical tasks include scrub and weed clearance around specimen trees, mending tree cages and autumn raking. This volunteer role provides an opportunity to learn new skills and put them into practice within the collection.  The ‘Tuesday Group’ have recently been established as part of the legacy of the Big Forest Find - England's largest survey of forest and woodland wildlife. Working with Bedgebury’s volunteer coordinator, ecology experts and the pinetum tree team, volunteers will help monitor flora, fauna and native habitats as well as undertaking essential practical conservation tasks across the pinetum. This is an opportunity to support the valuable work that is undertaken by the Bedgebury team through recording and submission of data.

The practical conservation and the conservation and habitat monitoring groups are popular, so please enquire for current availability.

Training and support for all of the above roles is provided. Your time as a volunteer is much appreciated by Forestry England and is rewarded with thank you events, training opportunities and a parking pass for Bedgebury after 35 hours of volunteering.

If you are interested in volunteering for any of these roles and would like more information please contact bedgebury@forestryengland.uk