Urgent! Volunteers needed to help hand weed our garden in the scottish highlands

Volunteer in a nature reserve in the Scottish Highlands

Hello and thank you for looking at our listing. We are Cathy (40), John (38) and Leo who is 7 years old and home educated. We live in a beautiful little cottage in the middle of a nature reserve in the Scottish Highlands. We usually like to have three helpers, so friends are welcome to apply. Alternatively, we are happy to take three single travellers or even a family. Please be aware that you may need to share a sleeping area with another helper of the same sex and a similar age.

Hospitality information

We have a big kitchen, sitting room (with X-box, Wii and DVDs) and a big garden, as well as plenty of amazing countryside, so you are definitely not going to feel cooped up. We also have a bath with unlimited hot water at any time of day, which many volunteers consider a luxury.

Food and accommodation

All meals, including picnics for your days off, are provided. You can also use our games and books and make yourself at home with us. We do not have Wi-Fi but there is a good mobile signal at the house.

Helping hours

We ask that you work about 24 hours a week. You can choose how you divide the hours.

Activities

We need help looking after the house and garden and assisting with Cathy’s messy-play and cleaning businesses. Other tasks are many and varied and could include:

• Looking after Leo
• Dog walking
• Decorating
• Gardening
• Repairing outbuildings
• Cleaning out poultry
• Berry picking
• Beer and winemaking
• Jam and pickle making
• Laundry
• Assisting at sales or promotion events
• Other jobs that may come up on the day

More information

This placement is for a flexible, confident person who is fine spending time alone and does not need detailed instructions to get on with a task. We have animals, including a dog and cats that live in the house, so you must be comfortable around them.

Location

We are a long way from anywhere. The bus stop is over a mile from the house and buses are not very frequent, so please only apply if you like walking and the countryside.

Our house is difficult to reach by public transport, especially with a big bag. However, if you get yourself to Inverness airport, train station or bus station, we will pick you up and drive you home.
If there is anything you would like to know about us, please get in touch. You can also add us on Facebook if you wish.

Diet

We usually do not take vegetarians or vegans, as we eat our own free-range, ethically reared poultry. However, if you are a vegetarian and not offended by this, please feel free to contact us.

Benefits

In addition to English practice, you can gain a range of country skills.

Self-sufficiency and wild food

We are trying to be as self sufficient as possible and grow our own food wherever we can. There will be opportunities to plant, grow, tend and harvest food, and to learn poultry husbandry.

Occasionally there will be the chance to learn how to prepare a small animal (rabbit, chicken etc.) for the table if you want. This is completely optional and for the most part our diet is vegetable based. We also forage and can share our wild food hunting skills for greens, mushrooms and berries. We make jams, chutneys, beers and wines and are happy to share these skills.

Contact details 🔍📧