Living in the woods - volunteers needed to help with winter work

[arboriculturist]

So what you're saying is that the concept of voluntary work has been made illegal by the minimum wage law if the volunteer receives any type of benefit. If this is correct then I'm very surprised we haven't heard a lot more about it from a great many organisations.

Back to the o/p, I hope you find the right person for the job, sounds ideal for the right candidate. Where about in Devon is it?

 

My information on Volunteers comes straight from ACAS and yes you can give them travel and lunch money.

 

The government may on occasion be quoted as being stupid, but those who draft the legislation can also be reasonable.

 

Don't get hung up on this and get back to the Woodland management works !

[woody3]

My information on Volunteers comes straight from ACAS and yes you can give them travel and lunch money.

 

The government may on occasion be quoted as being stupid, but those who draft the legislation can also be reasonable.

 

Don't get hung up on this and get back to the Woodland management works !

 

its a very fine line hence the recent DWP and slavery cases in the headlines

 

you can only give money when a travel ticket is produced same with food otherwise you have to pay NMW

[markieg31]

talk about expploitation. national trust, one of the biggest in the country pulling huge revenues and using more and more volenteers to do the work. in some cases people are paying to work!!! crazy world.

 

 

Original post. Sounds like a great opportunity for the for the right candidate although i think this maybe coming to the wrong time of year heat wise. I have done a bit of caravan living in the past. the cold shower got me so created one using the washer bottle from a car and using the light switch and battery. Pour in the warm water and it was enough for a 2/3 minute shower! Its funny beacause i used to have a dream of building a shower onto the end of a caravan. Peaked to early!!

[arboriculturist]

Volunteers needed to help manage our 27acre woodland on a 45 acre farm. (December 2014 to March 2015+)

 

Most work will be to help with extracting, felling, & planting trees. Plus some firewood chopping, milling timber, and various bits of work around the farm (chicken feeding, general maintenance etc.)

 

Accommodation is in a caravan out on the land (2 caravans available), self-catering on a WWOOF basis (willing worker on organic farms) which means you volunteer and get a small contribution towards food. There is also a solar-shower, outdoor cooking space, sauna / lake & lots of gorgeous woodland - but it is 'out-there' and means being reliant on a fire for heat, and a spring for your water.

 

Send me a pm or email if interested or you know someone who might fancy a month or two helping out in the woods in South Devon.

 

All the best

Doug

 

 

Don't worry about all the negative feedback Doug - just get on with the job, use volunteers and even if you give them a few pounds for travel/food if someone moans to whoever it will never be enforced.

 

I can understand why nearly as many people wish to leave the UK as are keen to live here - many appear to have become paranoid about every last detail in whatever legislation turns up.

 

Just get on with things and behave reasonably is my remit.

[woody3]

Don't worry about all the negative feedback Doug - just get on with the job, use volunteers and even if you give them a few pounds for travel/food if someone moans to whoever it will never be enforced.

 

I can understand why nearly as many people wish to leave the UK as are keen to live here - many appear to have become paranoid about every last detail in whatever legislation turns up.

 

Just get on with things and behave reasonably is my remit.

 

your a idiot:001_rolleyes:

[Chris Sheppard]

What always gets me with these threads is how many people jump on them when they have no interest in actually going for a position - it's no wonder the Employment section was made "read only"

 

Clearly volunteering's not for everyone, but food and accomodation in return for some exerience might just be the first step someone's been looking for for ages.

 

I think the main thing though is not to expect miracles - they are volunteers, not contractors so there's half a chance they're not going to be of the most trained/qualified (though of course there's always exceptions).

[difflock]

Who prepares the Risk assessments and stands the training costs, if training is required,(and RA's and certified training is REQUIRED for everything nowadays) and insurance, if trained/not trained.

Sounds like a potential minefield to me.

Bearing in mind a Local Government employee, made a claim, as yet unresolved, in account of not being trained how to open a heavy door.

Absolutly seriously.

Ditto

The guy knocked down crossing the road (on litter picking activities)

who got his claim because the Risk Assessment (which had been prepared)

did not EXPRESSLY identify the risk of being knocked down crossing the road.

Cos, like, that was so bleeding obvious as to not need stating ( I presume)

marcus

[mendiplogs]

What always gets me with these threads is how many people jump on them when they have no interest in actually going for a position - it's no wonder the Employment section was made "read only"

 

Clearly volunteering's not for everyone, but food and accomodation in return for some exerience might just be the first step someone's been looking for for ages.

 

I think the main thing though is not to expect miracles - they are volunteers, not contractors so there's half a chance they're not going to be of the most trained/qualified (though of course there's always exceptions).

 

HI CHRIS your right there chris wish chap of post all the best in and some members having a go as we say is not right chris i think post like this go the way of the employment section now were like you say read only then the poster chap can bump his own post and you stop ALL THIS MAD POST THANKS JON

[Will Heal]

I saw an advert not so long ago for lambing holidays where you pay the farmer to stay in his holiday cottage and then help him to lamb his sheep all weekend. Similar sort of thing, but the farmer is happy cos he has someone paying to help him and the townies who are paying are happy cos they get to cuddle baby lambs ( pity it's not like it looks on the telly), everyone's a winner!

[Kenty]

Another thread derailed.