We have around 140 volunteers who come to us from many sources including the Dorset & Hampshire NHS Trusts and the local Employment Service.

The majority of the volunteers work in the wide variety of horticultural tasks required to ensure the daily running of the nursery. Tasks vary from weeding, potting and taking cuttings, to office work, plant sales, construction and irrigation work, domestic duties, and plant deliveries.

Since the work done by our volunteers has a genuine purpose and a tangible end product, it becomes meaningful and important to them, building on routine and structure of everyday working life, but in a pressure free environment.

We put no upper age limit or time limit on our volunteers' attendance at the nursery.