If you're passionate about the work of the Arboretum, are keen to help us grow and develop and have regular time to commit, you might be interested in volunteering with us.
Over 240 people volunteer their time at the Arboretum in 13 roles across our charity. From welcoming and advising visitors, providing guided tours and walks to administration and marketing, our volunteer and staff teams work together to ensure that all of our visitors have a great experience when they visit our site.
Though some of our roles will suit individuals with specific interests, you don't need to have experience to volunteer with us as you'll receive all the training that you need, either in the role or via our mentoring programme.
Last year an amazing 54,000 voluntary hours were given by our volunteer team.
Our volunteers are aged between 15 and 85, many of our young volunteers are using their experiences with us as they complete their Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards.
Our volunteers come from 37 towns from across the local area.
Our current volunteers are always happy to share their experiences and answer questions.
We are currently looking for volunteers to assist our team in the following areas:
Welcome Desk Volunteer
A welcome desk volunteer provides a friendly welcome, information and support to the people who visit the Arboretum. Knowledgeable, visitor-focussed and passionate about the Arboretum, they offer consistently excellent customer service as they help visitors make the most of their time onsite by offering information about the range of activities available to enhance a visit here. They also support events and other initiatives which help visitors engage with the Arboretum.
This role will suit those who are people focussed and who enjoy dealing with the public and display excellent interpersonal skills which enable them to use their judgement to engage with visitors, sometimes in difficult or sensitive situations.
Our Welcome Desk volunteers provide our visitors with information about our daily activities, operate till points, support events and other seasonal activities which help visitors to engage with the Arboretum and assist visitors who may need a little extra support by issuing motorised scooters and manual wheelchairs, completing necessary forms and pointing out the relevant facilities.
Foodservices Volunteers undertake a wide variety of tasks to support the Foodservices team. Providing a high level of customer service our Foodservices volunteers act as ambassadors for the Arboretum, help visitors with Restaurant facilities and provide guidance, support and basic site information and direction.
Provide a friendly welcome to visitors to the Arboretum shop. Retail Volunteers should be able to provide an insight to features and benefits of the product. Retail experience is a bonus, but really we are looking for confident team players to assist us.
Visitor Experience Volunteers provide a friendly welcome, information and support to people who visit every year.
Knowledgeable and passionate about the Arboretum, they help visitors get the most out of
their time on site and enhance their visit by offering opportunities such as tours, walks and
talks. Visitor-focussed and offering excellent customer service, they are ambassadors for the
Arboretum.
A Meet and Greet Volunteer provides the initial friendly welcome to the National Memorial Arboretum. They support in sign posting the activities of the day and direct people to the welcome desk to book activities or support with additional information. Knowledgeable, visitor-focussed and passionate about the Arboretum, they offer consistently excellent customer service.
Caretaker Volunteers undertake a wide variety of tasks to support excellent levels of tidiness and presentation within and around the Remembrance centre, Aspects events building, remote shelters and general site.
Grounds Volunteers undertake a wide variety of tasks to support the grounds maintenance and gardening team, producing high standards of grounds and garden maintenance. Duties within this team will include, weeding, edging, leaf collecting, planting, mulching, pruning, cleaning plaques, benches, shelters, signs and Memorials. This is an outdoor role in all weather conditions. Volunteers also supply basic information and direction around the site to visitors and act as an ambassador for the Arboretum.
In 2025, we’ll be developing the volunteer opportunities available for young people at the Arboretum and would love to hear from young people who are interested in helping us grow and develop the Arboretum!
Our new opportunities will include:
Duke of Edinburgh Award – Young people will join us for a set amount of time to fulfil the requirements of a Bronze, Silver or Gold award.
Arboretum Ambassador – An opportunity for young people to volunteer on an ongoing basis, at least twice per month, on either Saturday or Sunday.
Youth Steering Group – Our youth steering group will represent the powerful voice of young people, helping to ensure that a youth voice is placed at the heart of our development. The group will meet every two months, both in person and online – so those who live a little further away can also support us.
If you, or someone you know, would like to find out more, we are hosting an event on Thursday 9 January after school between 4.30pm -6pm, you can join us in person or online. To register to attend or to find out more, please email education@thenma.org.uk
We also have Volunteers in the following roles:
Exhibitions and Engagement Volunteer
Engage with visitors to our on site exhibitions, help to care for the collections on display and assist with the delivery of a varied activity programme. This team will also support the wider Front of House team to meet, greet and help direct and assist visitors, with a particular focus on learning groups.
Exhibition and Gallery Volunteer
An Exhibition and Gallery Volunteer can support a visitor with interpretation and adding value to the exhibits. We operate three gallery areas, one which tells the story of remembrance and two which are open to installations that change on a regular basis through the year. Knowledgeable, visitor-focussed, and passionate about the Arboretum, they can also support events and other initiatives which help visitors to engage with the Arboretum.
Learning Volunteers support the Head of Participation and Learning and the Learning and Families Activities Officers in enabling children, young people and lifelong learners to make the most of their visit by providing year-round delivery of the learning programme. Volunteers will provide a friendly and welcoming guide service for all visitors to the Arboretum, giving information on our site as well as guided walks. Meeting and greeting a range of groups when they arrive on site. Delivering activities to groups of young people and families, both indoor and outdoor all year round.
Mapping Information Volunteer
Support the Grounds Team in producing plans, data and inputting into the Collections Management Information and Mapping system. Giving information to visitors on our site and being an ambassador for the Arboretum.
Caretaker Volunteer
Support the caretaking team producing high standards of maintenance, cleanliness and event set up, giving information on our site and being an ambassador for the Arboretum.
Grounds Volunteer
Assist the Grounds and Landscape Team producing high standards of maintenance and site progression, giving information on our site and being an ambassador for the Arboretum. Duties within this team will include, weeding, edging, leaf collecting, planting, mulching, pruning, cleaning plaques, benches, shelters, signs and Memorials. This is an outdoor role in all weather conditions.
First Saturday of the Month Grounds Volunteer
Provide support and assist the Grounds and Landscape Team producing high standards of maintenance and site progression giving information on our site and being an ambassador for the Arboretum. Duties with in your Saturday team will include, weeding, edging, leaf collecting, planting, mulching, pruning, cleaning memorial and plaques. This is an outdoor role in all weather conditions.
Grounds Watering Volunteer
Grounds Watering Volunteers undertake Watering to support the grounds maintenance and gardening team. As we have a large site of 150 acre and around 24,000 trees it is a vital for the establishment and longevity of many of the trees we have. Watering trees in selected areas and specific locations around site in coordination with the Grounds Volunteer Supervisor. Volunteers also supply basic information and direction around the site to visitors, acting as an ambassador for the Arboretum.
Grounds and Memorial Cleaning Volunteer (Weekdays)
Grounds and Memorial Cleaning Volunteers undertake a selection of tasks to support the grounds maintenance and gardening team, producing high standards of grounds and garden cleaning and maintenance, cleaning memorials, infrastructure, and objects around site. Volunteers also supply basic information and direction around the site to visitors, acting as an ambassador for the Arboretum.
