Wellbeing Gardening Group Volunteer - Tuesday PM (Tolworth Hospital)

South West London & St George's Mental Health NHS Trust; City Of London; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading mental health service provider in the UK is seeking a Wellbeing Gardening Group Volunteer at Tolworth Hospital. This role involves supporting therapeutic gardening sessions aimed at promoting recovery and mindfulness among service users. You will assist in creating a nurturing environment and encourage creative participation. The position offers flexibility with weekly commitments, training opportunities, and a pathway into paid positions within the Trust.

Benefits

Access to ongoing training

Pathway to paid roles

Volunteering references provided

Qualifications

• Ability to engage with service users in a therapeutic setting.
• Commitment to personal development and training.
• Proficiency in English for communication.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate weekly gardening sessions for service users.
• Support a calm and inclusive environment.
• Assist with setting up and tidying materials.

Skills

Empathy

Reliability

Passion for gardening

Creative activities support

Job description

Are you passionate about nature, creativity, and supporting mental wellbeing? Join us as a Wellbeing Gardening Group Volunteer at Tolworth Hospital, where you'll help service users engage in therapeutic gardening and creative activities that promote recovery, mindfulness, and connection. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a nature-based wellbeing group while gaining experience in a clinical mental health setting.

Career Progression pathways and development opportunities

We're committed to supporting volunteers in achieving their career goals. This role offers a pathway into Bank positions and includes access to ongoing training in key areas such as Safeguarding, Health and Safety, and Equality and Diversity. Volunteering with us provides valuable experience that can support progression into paid employment, and we're happy to provide references for volunteers who complete their volunteering.

As a Wellbeing Gardening Group Volunteer, you'll help facilitate weekly themed sessions involving planting, decorating, journaling, and harvesting. You'll support service users in engaging with nature and creative reflection, assist with setting up and tidying materials, and promote a calm, inclusive environment. This role requires empathy, reliability, and a passion for gardening or creative activities.

Flexible working

This role takes place on Tuesday afternoons, with a weekly commitment of up to 3 hours. Volunteers must undergo reference and ID checks and complete mandatory training before starting the role, which can take several months. Interviews are due to take place November 2025.

As a Wellbeing Gardening Group Volunteer at Tolworth Hospital, you'll support weekly nature-based sessions that help service users stay engaged and promote recovery.

You’ll build relationships, encourage participation in gardening and creative activities, and assist staff with setting up and running sessions.

This role requires empathy, reliability, and a commitment to personal development within a supportive team environment.

All public facing roles require a proportionate level of English language proficiency for written and verbal communication and the Trust is required to verify results of certain English language competency tests relied upon. When the fluency duty is met by the provision of a sign language interpreter, the interpreter should be registered with the National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People (NRCPD).

Equalities and Diversity

At South West London St Georges Mental Health Trust we are committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Committed Employer, and welcome applications from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We are Members of Stonewall Diversity Champions and Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion.

• BME (Evolve) Staff Network
• Christian Staff Network
• DiverseAbility
• Deaf Staff Network
• Mental Health Staff Forum
• Women's Staff Network
• LGBTQIA+

We are committed to supporting the Armed Forces Community and has signed the Armed Forces Covenant.

We provide reasonable adjustments to the interview process for any candidates with a disability.

Please note:

• That the closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should sufficient number of applicants have been received.
• That once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system.
• That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not successful.
• That priority consideration for applications may be given to at‑risk NHS employees.
• That should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process.
• That your employment is offered subject to successful completion of a Probationary Period depending on your Band (except medical roles).
• That we are a smoke‑free Trust.

About the Trust

South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust provides a full range of local mental health services to the Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton, and Wandsworth London boroughs, as well as specialist forensic mental health services. The Trust is committed to providing high quality integrated health and social care for local people with mental health problems. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’ with an aspiration to be ‘outstanding’.

Location

Tolworth Hospital, Surbiton
Tolworth is undergoing a major transformation to create modern facilities for five new wards, a central plaza, and a café. It is close to the A3, Tolworth station, and a short bus ride from Surbiton station, with fast connections to Clapham Junction and London Waterloo.