We are excited to announce a new job opportunity for a Community Gardener to shape the vision of the Phytology Medicine Garden in 2024.
 

Job Description - As a Community Gardener at Bethnal Green Nature Reserve, you will play a vital role in supporting and stewarding the Phytology Medicine Garden, while engaging with the local residents to promote sustainable land care. You will work closely with volunteers, staff, trustees and community members to create a welcoming outdoor environment that fosters learning, recreation, and connection to the natural world.

We welcome applications from as wide a range of voices as possible, and are especially encouraging applicants with unique perspectives and/or lived experiences related to race, class, disability, sex and gender.

Responsibilities:

1. Medicine Garden Care: Maintain the upkeep of the medicine garden including planning annual planting, harvesting, watering, pruning, and mulching to ensure the vitality of both herbs and soil.

2. Local Engagement: Lead community gardening activities across the seasons aimed at promoting knowledge of plant based medicine / kitchen remedies, sustainable foraging, ecological gardening processe. You will also work closely with in-house and external organisations who regularly access the medicine garden for health and educational sessions.

3. Administration: Maintain records of gardening activities, volunteer participation, plant/seed inventory, and resource usage. Collect light touch visitor feedback and biodiversity data.

4. Safety and Compliance: Ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, risk assessments, environmental and organisational policies.

Experience (essential):

- Hold a horticultural qualification of – or equivalent to – RHS level 2 standard.

- Have at least two years professional gardening experience.

- Competent understanding of sustainable foraging processes, medicinal herb growing experience and knowledge of how herbs can be enjoyed for health and wellbeing.

- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to inspire curiosity and engage diverse groups with the medicine garden and wider nature reserve.

- Ability to work independently as well as part of a team, with a can-do attitude and willingness to learn.

- Have experience in running instructional sessions within a community Garden.

- Flexibility to work Saturdays (10am – 5pm) and occasional weekdays.

Experience (preferable):

- Experience caring for soil, organic gardening practices, and sustainable land management techniques centring biodiversity.

- Basic computer skills for record-keeping and communication purposes.

- 1st Aid experience.
 

Contract:

- Freelance: £18.75 per hour, x48 week contract period (subject to DBS).

- Working hours: min 8 hours per week (inc. 1 hour paid lunch break).

- x3 month probation period.
 

How to Apply:

Please provide a CV (x1 A4 page only) and cover letter (x1 A4 page only) outlining relevant experience, qualifications, and why you are interested in joining the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve team.

Please also include x2 recent work references and your avability to start the role.

Applications should be emailed to info@bethnalgreennaturereserve.org by 6pm, 16/04/2024.