Volunteering with us is an incredible way to support people with spinal injuries.
You can make a real difference for people going through a life-changing injury by joining one of our volunteer teams. Whether you’re interested in supporting people spending time in our gardens, helping with fundraising, or gardening, you’ll be making a meaningful impact in thousands of people’s lives.
Typically, people spend between three to nine months in hospital following their spinal injury. During that time, our gardens are an essential part of people’s rehabilitation, providing everyone with a place for reflection and adjustment, privacy and solace, joy and companionship.
Everyone’s welcome to apply to volunteer with us and you can always get in touch with our friendly team if you’d like to find out more.
Ways to volunteer
Patient support
You can offer vital support to people going through a life-changing injury by spending time with them in our gardens.
Our patient support volunteers warmly welcome people with spinal injuries and their friends and families to our gardens and are there to ensure everyone feels comfortable. They have friendly chats with people in our gardens, support people to access our gardens, help at our regular workshops and events, and keep everything clean and tidy. They make our gardens feel like a home away from home for everyone who needs them.
It’s important for people in our gardens to be supported by our volunteers at the times that best suit them. This is usually reflected in us needing more volunteer support in the afternoons, early evenings and at weekends. People in our gardens really appreciate knowing when they can expect to see you, so consistency is crucial. If you can regularly commit to volunteering with us, we’d love to hear from you.
We’re currently looking for patient support volunteers in: every Horatio’s Garden
Fundraising
You can make sure people affected by spinal injury always have access to our transformative gardens by helping to raise vital funds to support what we do.
It costs £150,000 annually to support each garden. Our gardens are funded entirely by the kindness of donors, so your help is needed now more than ever to continue our critical work. As a volunteer in one of our regional fundraising groups, you’ll be involved with all kinds of initiatives – from attending local fairs and supporting with bucket collections, to getting involved with nationwide fundraising campaigns and even organising your own community events.
We’re currently looking for fundraising volunteers to support: every Horatio's Garden
Gardening
Your gardening skills can make an extraordinary difference for people spending time in our gardens. As a gardening volunteer, you’ll be helping to keep our gardens looking beautiful and ensure they remain restorative for people all year round.
It’s important for our garden team to know they can fulfil lots of different gardening responsibilities throughout the year. Our head gardeners work hard to ensure the gardens remain inspiring and uplifting places to be, regardless of the season. It’s vital for them to be able to rely on our gardening volunteers for consistent support with a diverse variety of tasks. If you can regularly commit to gardening with us, we’d love to hear from you.
Join our volunteering team
Begin your volunteering story today:
1
Complete our volunteer application form here.
2
One of our friendly team will be in touch to arrange a call with you to chat about your application.
3
We’ll put you in touch with the relevant team to see how we can best work together to fulfil our volunteering needs and your volunteering goals.
4
If you’re happy to progress with your volunteering commitment, the hospital team will be in touch to complete your DBS check. This often takes a minimum of a few weeks.
5
You’ll be inducted and fully trained for your role.
Please email volunteer@horatiosgarden.org.uk or ring our office on 01722 326834 if you’d like more information.
Your volunteering stories
Our volunteers change people’s lives – discover how by reading their unique stories.
John’s story
I just love being in and around the peaceful setting and talking to newly injured people, as well as their families and friends, offering them support and advice as they come to terms with this life-changing event.
Nessie’s story
That’s why Horatio’s Garden is so special. When you’re in hospital for such a long time, it’s so important to have somewhere to go. I know it would’ve made such a difference for me and I see it making a difference for so many people from across Dorset and the south west every time I’m there volunteering.
Corey’s story
Volunteering here’s been a real eye-opener. I came thinking I’d be helping out, which I hope I am, but I didn’t realise how much it would give back to me too.
John’s story
I just love being in and around the peaceful setting and talking to newly injured people, as well as their families and friends, offering them support and advice as they come to terms with this life-changing event.
Nessie’s story
That’s why Horatio’s Garden is so special. When you’re in hospital for such a long time, it’s so important to have somewhere to go. I know it would’ve made such a difference for me and I see it making a difference for so many people from across Dorset and the south west every time I’m there volunteering.
Corey’s story
Volunteering here’s been a real eye-opener. I came thinking I’d be helping out, which I hope I am, but I didn’t realise how much it would give back to me too.