Find your place in the field of good food

Our goal is to connect good people with good food. We advertise sustainable food jobs and training opportunities to help jobseekers and employers find each other.

Roots to Work is a project of Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming.

Job description

About Bankside Open Spaces Trust 

Bankside Open Spaces Trust is an environmental and volunteering charity. In 2025 we marked 25 years of protecting, preserving, and enhancing parks, gardens and other amenities in London’s SE1 and surrounding areas.   

We were set up in 2000 with the aim of improving people’s health and wellbeing by making where they live and work greener and more beautiful. We manage and maintain open spaces, welcome volunteers from both the community and the corporate sector, run regular gardening groups, support park steering groups, organise and take part in public events and educational projects, and offer advice to others. We collaborate closely with local residents and businesses to champion green spaces.  

Thousands of people enjoy our open spaces every day. Each of our sites is unique, with its own atmosphere, identity, and sense of place. Our spaces include Red Cross Garden, Marlborough Sports Garden, Waterloo Millennium Green and Tate Community Garden.   

Compost Volunteers 

We’re looking for volunteers with a keen interest in sustainability, organic gardening, and soil health to help us manage and improve our composting systems. This is a hands-on role ideal for those curious about how compost works and how it supports thriving green spaces. 

Previous experience with composting is helpful but not essential, we welcome anyone eager to learn and research the topic. Some of the tasks can be quite physical, so a good level of fitness would be beneficial.

Commitment & hours 

2–3 hours per week - mainly on Tuesdays but occassionally other days of the week if possible 

Main Responsibilities 

1. Attend a trial session with a short induction from our trained staff 

2. Support composting activities such as turning piles, monitoring temperature, chopping, sieving, sorting materials, and maintaining bins 

3. Learn and apply best practices for composting and soil health 

4. Follow Health & Safety guidelines and instructions from staff 

5. Be friendly and respectful to other volunteers, staff, and the public, and uphold BOST’s policies

Clothing 

Volunteers should wear comfortable clothing suitable for outdoor activity and covered footwear. Offensive slogans are not permitted.

What we provide 

This is a voluntary role and no salary will be paid, but in return for your time you will:  

• Full induction and training 

• Opportunity to deepen your knowledge of composting and sustainable gardening 

• Be part of a supportive, eco-conscious team 

• Enjoy time outdoors in central London 

• References for long-term volunteers 

Reimbursement of travel expenses is also available for those for which it would be a barrier to volunteering.  

Application information

If you’re interested in this role, please fill in our compost volunteer application form or email our Volunteer Coordinator, at volunteer@bost.org.uk and explain why you are interested in this role and what you can bring to it.

We will be in touch to arrange a time for a chat. If you’re a new volunteer, we’ll ask for two references (one professional). Please provide these when you send your email expressing interest in the role. 

If you need help finding a suitable referee or require reasonable adjustments, please email or contact the volunteer coordinator on 020 7403 3393.

We welcome applications from underrepresented groups and aim to make volunteering accessible to all.

Please mention Roots to Work when applying for these jobs