Learn something new and get your hands in the soil – no experience needed!
Are you looking to get involved in community gardening, gain new skills, experience meaningful outdoor activity and support food growing in north-east London?
Whether you’re interested in community food growing, supporting others to take part, preparing produce for delivery, helping in the kitchen, or meeting new people, there is a place for you to volunteer at OrganicLea.
As you’ll see in this short film, many people find their place by volunteering at OrganicLea.
The first step is usually to come to one of our regular induction sessions where you’ll gain an insight into the volunteering opportunities.
What to expect at your induction
Join an upcoming OrganicLea volunteering induction at the beautiful Hawkwood Plant Nursery, which nestles beside ancient woodland. The session includes:
- An introduction to the volunteering activities
- A guided tour of the site
- A delicious free plant-based lunch made with organic produce
A typical induction involves 4-10 people. The inductions usually take place on the first Wednesday and the third Friday of each month, from 11am to 4pm. But check with us for seasonal updates or timetable changes due to bank holidays.
June 2026 dates are:
- Wednesday 3rd June
- Friday 19th June
To book your induction, email volunteering@organiclea.org.uk.
Open volunteering opportunities
After your induction, we ask for your commitment to completing at least six volunteering sessions. The open volunteering days at OrganicLea are Wednesdays and Fridays, 11am to 4pm, and you can choose the day and dates to suit your schedule. Discuss your preferences with us at the end of the induction.
This open volunteering is mainly with our horticulture team, and in this role you will help grow fresh vegetables and fruit using organic methods. The types of activities you’ll be taking part in range from energetic outdoor tasks such as mulching the soil to the gentler work of sowing seeds in the glasshouse. This opportunity is perfect for anyone keen to learn about organic food growing and gardening.
Supported volunteering opportunities
For those who would benefit from more support to volunteer we offer a range of options, including kitchen placements, small supported groups, and one-to-one support in our general volunteering teams.
We can arrange a tailored induction to work out what sort of participation will best suit. To find out more and make a referral please email referrals@organiclea.org.uk.
Grow with us in a Volunteer Placement
As well as the open horticultural volunteering described above, OrganicLea offers a range of volunteer placements, which are typically 3 months long. Placements often include the opportunity to gain a recognised AQA unit certificate in specific skills.
They are perfect if you want to volunteer regularly for a while, work alongside our experienced growers, develop your skills and get to know different aspects of OrganicLea’s work better.
Volunteer placements are promoted seasonally through our volunteering e-newsletter. Opportunities vary through the seasons but typically include the following options:
Prepare the veg boxes
Why not take part in packing and distributing fresh local produce for OrganicLea’s popular veg box scheme?
Join the packing team on Tuesday afternoons, from 2pm to 5pm, or Wednesday mornings, from 10am to 1pm.
You could be weighing out produce, checking and sorting bags for delivery, loading up the van… it all helps to supply nutritious food to households across Waltham Forest every week.
Gain cooking skills in the kitchen
Over 12 weeks you’ll gain an AQA certificate in basic cooking skills as you help prepare, serve and clear up after healthy plant-based lunches enjoyed by everyone on site.
This is an ideal way to learn more about cooking for large numbers with seasonal produce. Volunteer at OrganicLea in the kitchen on Wednesdays and Fridays, from 10am to 3pm.
Take on a specific growing role
Join a small team who commit to a bit longer with us. Over 12 weeks you’ll learn specific tasks without always needing a lead grower present. This might be as a harvest hand – harvesting, weighing, quality-checking and packing produce every Tuesday.
Or you could focus on salad crop production, or work in the glasshouse, or on seasonal tasks that help the gardens thrive and aren’t suitable for big groups, which happens on Wednesday and Fridays. You’ll pick up lots of practical horticultural skills.
Support others to grow and learn
There are several options if you’d like to support others as part of your volunteering.
You could become a Buddy, partnering with other volunteers who have extra needs, including neurodiversity, physical challenges, or recover from mental health issues. You can work towards an AQA award in supporting volunteers during this placement – usually 12-week commitment.
If you’ve already volunteered with us and enjoy supporting others, you could be a Teaching Assistant, working with the tutor and learners during our courses, from setting up activities to helping with paperwork. This is a great way to gain a Level 1 qualification, or refresh your horticulture skills and build your teaching experience. Typically, this is a 7 to 9 week commitment.
You might enjoy being a Language Mentor, supporting people who are practising their English while volunteering in the garden. You may be supporting volunteers who have joined one of our more sheltered programmes, such as the English for Action groups. As these individuals progress into general volunteering, a friendly face who offers to support their understanding can be vital to their inclusion and confidence. This placement can be organised for 6 to12 sessions.
Choose a Traineeship
OrganicLea offers several supported learning openings every year. These traineeships run one day a week for nine months and provide hands-on learning in different areas of our work.
Each trainee is teamed up with a mentor from our workers’ cooperative, who’ll guide you as you learn in your chosen area. Each year the application process runs from late January to early March with full descriptions of each of these volunteer roles and the recruitment timings posted on our website. Look at the 2026 range of roles here to give an idea of what will be on offer in 2027.
How to find Hawkwood Nursery
The OrganicLea community farm is on land known as Hawkwood Nursery in north-east London. It is easily accessible by public transport, bike or by car.
Ready to volunteer?
Get in contact by emailing the volunteering@organiclea.org.uk address or call 0208 524 4994 to find out more.