Join us at a weekly session

We welcome new volunteers at our weekly sessions. These are a great way to get involved at Holly Hagg and help care for our land and animals. ✨ Please note: our weekly volunteering sessions are for volunteers who can work with a reasonable level of independence. If you are under 18 and not attending with a parent/guardian or need additional support, please see our Placements page.

Saturdays 2pm-4pm

  • Main focus on routine farm tasks and animal care.
  • Suited to adults who can work independently, and young people on agreed placements want to learn about permaculture and animal care.
  • Feeding and mucking out chickens, ducks, pigs and sheep.
  • Mucking out alpaca/llama shelters and meadows.
  • Refilling feed bins and water troughs and other practical farm jobs.
  • Basic animal health care when needed.
  • Gardening tasks such as weeding, watering and composting.
  • Numbers are limited to keep sessions manageable.
  • Sorry, all animal care and junior placements are full at this time.

Wednesdays 2-4pm

  • A mix of farm care and gardening with a permaculture focus.
  • Welcomes adults who can work independently, students, retirees and young people on agreed placements.
  • Feeding and mucking out chickens, ducks, pigs and sheep.
  • Mucking out alpaca/llama shelters and meadows.
  • Basic animal health care when needed.
  • Watering, planting, weeding, harvesting, composting and garden maintenance.
  • Maintaining meadows, forest garden, willow patch and hedgerows.
  • Maintaining ponds and water systems.

Getting started

  • To join our drop-in sessions, please email us first at  info@hollyhagg.org.uk with a short introduction about yourself and what you’re looking for.
  • We’ll reply with more details and a link to our sign-up form.
  • Once registered, you can arrange a start date and come along to our weekly sessions.

Information for volunteers – please read

  • Age guidance
    • Minimum age: 14.
    • Under 18s must either attend with a parent/guardian, or take part through an agreed placement with us. See our Placements page for more information.
  • Independence
    • Drop-ins are suitable for volunteers who can follow instructions and work with a reasonable level of independence.
    • If you need additional support, please see our Placements page.
  • Accessibility & the work involved
    • Our farm is on a steep hillside with rocky and muddy ground.
    • Tasks are physical and outdoors in all weathers: e.g., mucking out, barrowing manure, digging vegetable beds or moving hay bales and feed sacks. We only have few light tasks each week.
    • It is suggested (but not essential) that volunteers are capable of at least barrowing medium to light loads on a hillside, carrying a bucket of water and/or digging with a spade or trowel.
  • What to bring
    • Sturdy footwear, outdoor clothing, a drink and a snack if needed.