Uk based trip where we can volunteer as a family ?

[pinkingshears]

We need a 7 day UK based trip this summer. Me (disabled) 2 older teens (both Autistic & can't do heavy work). We'd like to volunteer somewhere as a family or at least have some purpose to our trip. I'm a Christian but kids are not, so I'd be open to a faith based experience but I think they would not.
Any ideas anyone ?

Very few charities find it's worth the staff time and resources to train volunteers for a week's work
You'd need to look for roles where you literally just need to be a body.
Perhaps telling people not to walk near nesting birds in an rspb reserve?

My sister has done a couple of volunteering holidays with the NT where you do a few hours helping in a garden, e.g. planting bulbs or similar and get accommodation and some outings included. However, not sure if that would be doable with disabilities.

Why not volunteer over a few weekends or more and instead leave a family holiday to just that…. Whatever you as a family love doing whether chilling or exploring

Good points, but we can peel veg, hand out drinks / soup, help direct cars, we all have recent First Aid training. 'Weekends' is more difficult as we are fairly rural so a week or so is more practical for us (we could do 2 weeks & poss up to 4). My thinking was that it would be nice to connect with a local community or cause rather than just rent a cottage/ go to centre parcs.

Op you have teen kids

they won’t always be going on holiday with you

save the earnest volunteering holiday for when they aren’t holidaying with you

and make these precious family holidays something they are excited about and enjoy rather than endure

I would look into WWOOF, there are farms all over the UK and world where you can live in exchange for volunteering, not all will take families/ teens but some do.

Anything here float your boat? We volunteer here as a family - DD1 does the set up, so hers is a longer stint. Lots of different options for different skills

www.greenbelt.org.uk/volunteer/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19651096318&gbraid=0AAAAADPgFcg7FSRRFy9JHkCZiHloWqZFG&gclid=CjwKCAjwq7fABhB2EiwAwk-YbJvn_xWWkfWNUE9gDdtiG9x7wTF7XZRqaMRMwMjJXFlbS4PLp2YCaxoCvecQAvD_BwE

https://www.workaway.info/

A few hosts will accept families but you might have more luck having your own accommodation and then offering to volunteer at a host- some are private enterprises but some would be charities / environmental conservation etc.

@Morningupthanks for your concern but a. we have a weekend at CP booked for end of exams but this is what they'd like to do with their main time over summer. (I'd prefer a week AI in the sun, but hey ho).

@MolkosTeenageAngst
@Silsatrip
@achangeofnameisasgoodasarest

Thank you all x
I'll look into these.

What about somewhere like Lee Abbey? Is there anything you could do there for a week?

Does it need to be formal volunteer, or could you do things like litter picking, on whichever nice place you’d be on holiday anyway. Also sign up for the bird watch thing, to give you meaning on the holiday?

Some ideas here https://traveltrade.visitwales.com/fact-sheets/wellbeing-outdoors/volunteering-holidays

https://www.bruderhof.com/resident-volunteer-program

https://www.mountsaintbernard.org/guest-house

https://taraikrc.org/pages/volunteer

Bruderhof & Tara centre and both working holidays.

Mount St Bernard Abbey is more of a retreat. You can volunteer if you speak with the guest master before hand. That one is donation only.

Hope this helps.

A long time ago but i volunteered at new wine when i was 18-20

Stewarding at Greenbelt? Or another festival?