You can get involved in Organiclea’s local food activities in lots of ways.
There are opportunities to volunteer at our growing site in Chingford and our distribution base at the Hornbeam in Hoe Street, Walthamstow, where volunteers play a vital role in running the Hornbeam cafe and kitchen, the Saturday market stall and the mid-week box scheme. You could:
- weigh and pack fruit and veg for the box scheme, ride the cycle trailer delivery, or sell produce on the stall
- serve customers in the cafe, help prepare meals in the kitchen or give a hand washing up
- pick fruit and make juice or jam with our scrumping project
- take part in seasonal growing tasks and learn food growing skills at Hawkwood Nursery
The current roles at the Hornbeam are:
* Scrumping Volunteer (2-4 hours Tuesday or Saturday; also Fridays at Hawkwood Nursery)
Contact tree owners; pick fruit around the borough; sort fruit; operate fruit press; help make jam or pickles; leafletting and other publicity
* Wednesday Box Scheme Volunteer (2-5 hours)
Carrying boxes of fruit and veg; weighing and sorting fruit and veg; explaining the box scheme to enquirers; chatting to members when they pick up their goods; taking payments and recording pick ups
* Wednesday Cycle Delivery Volunteer (1-2 hours)
Attach trailer to bike and load up to cycle to various drop off points, leafleting potential drop-offs along the way
* Saturday Stall Volunteer (about 5 hours)
Arranging and selling produce; writing price, and info signs; recording produce that local producers bring; helping with publicity
* Cafe Volunteer (2-4 hours Wednesay, Thursday, Friday or Saturday)
Welcoming customers, taking food orders, serving food and beverages, washing up, clearing tables, adding up bills and taking money
* Kitchen Volunteer (2-4 hours Wednesay, Thursday, Friday or Saturday)
Clean, peel and chop vegetables; help cook dishes and bake cakes; help with washing up and other kitchen cleaning and organising
You will gain experience in working with people, food and money and you will be part of a unique community food initiative. You can take part in more than one of these roles or just come for one specific area like washing up – every task is important! It works best if we can agree a regular time when we know you are coming. Tea/coffee is provided and if you volunteer for 4 hours or more you are welcome to a meal in the café. Contact Rebecca if you’re interested on info@organiclea.org.uk or call 020 8558 6880.
Or come and get growing at Hawkwoood
We also have volunteer opportunities for all sorts of food growing activity at Hawkwood Nursery, our growing site in Chingford on Tuesdays (11am-4pm), Thursdays (1.30-4pm) and Fridays (11am-4pm). Get in touch with Nicole at Hawkwood: call 020 8524 4994 or email nicole@organiclea.org.uk if you are interested.
