Giving time to Greatwood is a gift beyond price
Greatwood's core strength is its people. Their dedication, professionalism and flexibility is key to our success. As well as paid staff, we have equally dedicated volunteers who support our work in many areas.
Individual Volunteering
Our Volunteers and Supporters are extremely important to us. All we ask for is a little or as much time as you think you can give to help us in our vital work. This could be ....
· Bucket Collections: We raise a decent amount of money simply by making bucket collections at racing and equine events. It also raises our profile and helps people to understand what we do. Volunteers are always needed to shake those purple buckets!
· Mucking Out There is always masses to do in the stable yard so if you are experienced with horses, then do volunteer to help. You might be grooming, mucking out or cleaning tack and rugs – we all know it has to be done!
Corporate Volunteering
Greatwood is a member of Involve Swindon - the Employer Supported Volunteering partnership project, which enables charities to meet with businesses to discuss volunteering opportunities. However, we are open to direct approaches.
If you run a business or work full-time, volunteering offers great business and personal benefits. Volunteering also helps Greatwood staff saving us precious time and money.
One of our staunchest supporters on the volunteering front is employees of Zurich Financial Services, who have worked extremely hard for us on a number of occasions. Zurich came to us via Involve.
In preparation for our Open Day, staff painted all day, creosoting stables, painting walls, gates, doors, you name it and they painted it. This saves us huge amount in time and money.
All Greatwood's staff also agreed that they were such a lovely bunch of people to have around and in their bright yellow T shirts they blended perfectly with our purple!
Zurich staff have also been hard at work back at their offices and in their spare time, raising thousands of pounds for the Horse Power programme.
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To mark World Environment Day we were lucky enough to welcome an intrepid band of volunteers from The Environment Agency to help us build a pond paradise. This was a direct approach. The new orchard area on the farm has been transformed into a purpose built and designed growing area and wildlife sanctuary. The new development includes ten fruit trees planted in the autumn, a polytunnel, an outdoor classroom, a picnic area, raised beds and a wildlife pond.
Greatwood was fortunate enough to receive funding to provide native aquatic plants for the pond from the charity Earth Action. Volunteers from the Environment Agency completed the pond planting and worked tirelessly to complete all five raised beds so they were ready for planting as part of our new "Developing Skills in Garden Horticulture" qualification.
