VOLUNTEERING

Abundance Wimbledon have a trusty group of energetic and enthusiastic volunteers who ensure that as much fresh fruit and vegetables as possible can be used either at local charities or via our cordial, chutney and jam makers.

To find out more information or register your interest as a volunteer, please either complete the form below or email Juliet direct at abundancewimbledon@gmail.com

The Details

We are most active in the months of June-mid September which is the ripening season for an array of fruit and vegetables.

We have regular volunteering opportunities available for:

• Area Coordinators
• Fruit and Vegetable Pickers
• Drivers
• Fruit Day Volunteers (to wo/man stalls)

As we are visiting people's private gardens, we must adhere to the following important guidelines:  All volunteers must:

• Be 18+
• Act in a safe and responsible manner
• Be polite and mindful of each donor's requirements (as advised by their Area Coordinator)
• Follow any UK Government Guidelines (particularly in relation to Covid-19)
• Have an appropriate UK drivers license (if volunteering as a driver)

What does an Area Coordinator do?

Area Coordinators (as the name suggests) look after a particular area in the (mainly) Merton area and coordinates the donations (from private gardens), picking and delivery of the fruit and vegetables.

The Area Coordinators look after the following areas:

• Morden/Mitcham
• Raynes Park - North
• Raynes Park - South (position vacant)
• Wimbledon Park (position vacant)
• Wimbledon

How the volunteering process works for pickers and delivery drivers:

1. Volunteer makes contact with Juliet at abundancewimbledon@gmail.com to register their interest and what role they would like to do
2. Juliet refers the volunteer to their local area coordinator. 
3. Area Coordinator and Volunteer meet via email/in person (dependent on availability and social distancing)
4. Area Coordinator will contact Volunteer when there is picking or delivering to be done

Often, we receive notice of fruit ready for picking on one day and the donor requires it to be picked the next (and in a certain time frame).  This means that we are really appreciative when our pickers and drivers can be either:

1. flexible with their availability; and/or
2. advise us of their best available times; and/or
3. be easily contactable by mobile or whatsapp

so that we can match the donations/picking with the pickers and drivers easily and on a timely basis.

If you have not received advice about picking this season, please feel free to contact your Area Coordinator and chat about where and when the next pick is likely to be (if they know!).

We are totally reliant on our donors advising us timings for picking that suit them, so it can be a juggling act getting everyone organised.  We appreciate everyone's patience and understanding.

For Fruit Day Volunteers

You will be contacted by the Fruit Day Coordinator prior to Fruit Day and, according to your interests, assigned to a stall or activity.

What we achieved in 2019

Rescued Fruit
To demonstrate the impact of our work, in 2019, we saved:

• Apples: 1,506.5 kgs
• Pears: 170.5 kgs
• Plums: 217.5 kgs
• Damsons: 6.5 kgs
• Blackberries: 2 kg
• Rhubarb: 3 kgs

And a staggering 2019  total of 1,910.5 kgs of fruit saved! 

Distribution to local Charities
Our delivery drivers who managed to deliver an incredible 577.5 kgs of the above fruit to local charities in 2019.

In addition, from our proceeds from Fruit Day 2019, we made cash donations to local Charities of:

£150 to Hillcross School to purchase fruit trees.  
£100 for Merton Park and Wimbledon Chase schools. 
£400 to the Food Bank
£250 to the Drop In Centre
£75 to the Wimbledon Guild
£75 to the Merton and Morden Guild

Over the last 9 years, Abundance Wimbledon has donated £4,545 in cash to local charities

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