Park Volunteers

Who we are:

The Alexandra Palace and Park Charitable Trust (APPCT) is a statutory charity set up by the London Boroughof Haringey to run Alexandra Palace and Park. Alexandra Palace is located in a Conservation Area. The Palaceis Grade II listed with English Heritage and the Park is on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens.

Why we need your help:

The Park is a wonderful asset for the community and we wish to maintain it for continued public enjoyment and health benefits. Caring for and maintaining 196 acres of park-land takes a lot of work so we are looking for a dedicated team of volunteers to assist us with a wide variety of Park-based tasks.

What we can offer you:

While volunteering is unpaid, there are a number of benefits our volunteers gain from their time with us:

  • Opportunities to develop skills and expertise within the horticultural sector
  • Gaining valuable work experience and new skills
  • Enjoyment in doing something you like while meeting new, like-minded people
  • Helping to keep a part of our heritage for future generations
  • Contributing to the local community by helping in the work of the Park and Palace Charitable Trust
  • On-going training related to these roles
  • Additional opportunities to become involved with other organizations within APPCT including The Conservation Volunteers, The Friends of Alexandra Park and Parkrun

Essential information:

  • Applicants are considered on their merits and regarded equally
  • We will induct and train you to carry out the role
  • For relevant roles, we will apply for a Disclosure Barring Service check – having a criminal record isn’t a barrier to volunteering, this is simply to protect children/vulnerable people we work with
  • We will cover travel expenses to a maximum daily limit of a Zone 1-6 off peak travel card (£8.90)
  • Food vouchers of £5 will be provided to those who volunteer over 4 hours on a given day and may be used in the Bar & Kitchen or the Ice Café
  • This role description is intended as an indicator of general areas of activity and will be amended with any changing needs of Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust. It is expected that the volunteer will be flexible, using this document as a framework

Next steps:

To apply, please provide:

  • Your CV (if you have one)
  • A completed Volunteer Expression of Interest Form
  • A brief email/cover letter which explains why you are interested in this role andany relevant experience you have

Please email these documents, with the subject header Park Volunteer to:

Please note that we cannot accept incomplete applications.

Volunteers successfully recruited to the role are required to provide a reference from someone who has known you for at least 2 years in an educational, professional or supportive capacity. We are happy to discuss alternative references if required.

Role Description

Role Title / Park Volunteers
Location / Alexandra Park, Alexandra Way, Wood Green, London, N22 7AY
Suggested Tasks and Activities / We are looking for a team of enthusiastic volunteers to assist us with any of the following:
  • Park Assets—surveying, recording and monitoring the Park’sassets which include benches, play areas, sculptures, posts and fences and infrastructure, logging this data onto a spreadsheet and using Computer Aided Design (CAD) programming
  • Park Visitors—carrying out surveys and counts of Park visitors
  • Horticulture/Gardening—mulching flower beds, helping the Grounds Maintenance Team spread wood chip and bark mulch on the Park shrub beds, rose and shrub bed maintenance (pruning and weeding season dependent
  • Species recording—surveys and recording of various species such as birds, plants, animals, insects, in the Park
  • Acorn collecting and oak tree planting/maintenance, surveying and recording
  • Tree Wardens—planting, surveying, monitoring growth, noting defects for Park trees
  • Litter picking—to keep the Park grounds attractive and welcoming

Commitment / We are looking for volunteers to commit at least one day per week, on any day of the week, ideally for a minimum of 3 months. Initial training and orientation will be available Monday to Friday with our Park Manager.
Works with / Park Manager/Volunteer Coordinator
Skills and Experience /
  • Friendly and approachable
  • Good communications skills & a good level of spoken English
  • Reliable with good time-keeping skills
  • Happy to work independently or as part of a team
  • Experience of gardening or outdoor work
  • Ability to undertake manual labour and rigorous outdoor activity (digging, walking, carrying, bending, lifting, using tools)
  • Attention to detail and good observational skills
  • Experience with CAD would be an asset
  • Administration skills (Microsoft Office, Internet)
  • Qualifications or experience in biology, horticulture, landscaping or ecology would be an asset

Closing date / 06 June 2014 at 5pm