Volunteering

At the Retreat committed and competent volunteers are needed for a number of posts, from feeding; cleaning out; home checking and rescue work to fundraising (collections and raffles etc) - are you that person?
 
For hands on volunteering you will be interviewed by two members of the Retreat’s team, this is purely to show you how seriously we take volunteering and to ensure we pick the right people with the right outlook. Not everybody is suitable to become a Retreat volunteer.
 
The Retreat is very busy and almost every day there is a new intake or two. If a volunteer receives a placement they are expected to commit to four hours per week (failing to come for three consecutive weeks means the immediate termination of your placement). At the Retreat we expect you to treat your placement like paid employment, with commitment and respect, not only to the animals but to your team.
 
Prospective volunteers should be aware that we are looking at what you can offer the Retreat, not what you may get from it.
 
The website outlines our work and, after a probationary period of three months, if your placement is confirmed you may pick and choose and move from post to post. Volunteer work does not include dog work of any kind and the Retreat does not have dog walkers.
 
Volunteering is fun but hard work (sometimes in difficult weather conditions) but you get the opportunity to work with very different animals, horses; domestic animals; farmed animals and wildlife. It is rare, so close to London, to have the unique opportunity to spend time with cows; sheep; pigs; ferrets; horses and many different types of poultry.

Remember giving a little of your time can help a whole lot of animals. 

Volunteer placements are available only on the afternoons of Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. There is no volunteering on a Wednesday or Saturday due to the centre being closed to everything from deliveries to the collection and arrival of animals. This is purely for dog training purposes.
 
Unfortunately we have no overnight accommodation available, or facilities for camping. Therefore, any volunteers, or visitors, wishing to stay over will have to make their own accommodation arrangements.

There are those that turn up 
There are those that turn up their sleeves 
There are those that turn up their noses 
And there are those that don’t turn up at all