Project Coordinator

Job Title

Project Coordinator (part time) – Vine Road Community Growing
Project.

Barnes Common Limited (BCL)

BCL is a charitable company, limited by guarantee that
undertakes 3rd sector management of Barnes Common, Leg O’Mutton Reservoir and the Vine Road
Recreation Ground in partnership with Richmond Council (LBRuT) who are the site owner. BCL is an
equal opportunities employer and committed to supporting personal development and training.

The
Vine Road Community Growing Project

The Vine Road Community Growing Project (VRCGP) in Barnes,
London is an established, currently volunteer led, project which aims to inspire engagement,
participation, learning and ownership for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds through
growing food together.

Encouraging food resilience for all, along with stronger social integration
through learning about urban food growing, the project helps participants gain confidence in the
processes of food growing, as well as learning about the importance of biodiversity and wildlife
within our local environment. It also supports healthy eating habits, gentle exercise and mental
wellbeing for all those involved.

Utilising our large polytunnel and outdoor growing beds, the
project uses growing methods that are organic and regenerative, cultivating soil health and
encouraging biodiversity.

Role and requirements

BCL have identified an exciting opportunity for
someone to co-ordinate this project more formally. The successful candidate will have a sound
knowledge of horticulture, particularly with regard to urban food growing. Some level of
qualification would be preferable. You should be committed to regenerative principles of growing,
including no-dig and no pesticides; moving towards fully open pollinated seed stocks; water-wise
growing and biodiversity and ecosystems protection.

Candidates should be personable and
enthusiastic with an outgoing personality and possess good organisational and forward planning
skills, able to manage and prioritise own workload but be used to working as part of a team with
reasonable experience in project coordination. The role does include a number of physical tasks
including moving beds and plants along with watering so a good level of fitness is required.

Candidates should be comfortable working with and delivering learning sessions to a wide ranging
and diverse local community including school children, local families, corporate volunteers or
organisations such as Richmond MIND and AGE UK. Previous teaching experience would be helpful.

A
satisfactory DBS check and up to date first aid certificate (or willingness to undertake relevant
course) while a sound understanding of health and safety regulations and safeguarding principles is
also vital.

Will be required to give two referees.

The role has been proposed by and will be fully
supported by the two lead-volunteers, with additional support from both BCL’s Education Officer and
Development Manager.

Duties include:

• Coordinate the schedule of weekly tasks for volunteers and project participants to
  undertake including: propagating and nurturing crops in all growing areas; weeding and
  maintaining growing beds; maintaining the watering schedule and composting system incl. feeding
  wormery and hot composter; grass cutting.
• Maintain the planning for project development and upkeep via the shared project planning
  task lists on Workflowy (training provided).
• Plan and produce the succession of crops across all seasons (with lead volunteers) using
  VegGrow online planner (training provided).
• Maintain existing seeds stocks and actively plan for seed saving from crops across the
  growing areas. Annually select and submit seeds to the London Freedom Seed Bank.
• Harvesting and delivery of crops to the local Foodbank – (once a week in main growing
  season)
• Help to devise and deliver learning sessions for a wide range of differing groups within
  the community including core volunteers, local schools and charities, families, corporate
  volunteers,
• Attend to accessibility and safety considerations for the project.
• Monitor the project email mailbox, responding to enquiries and opportunities.
• Prepare a short quarterly written report (with lead volunteers) and attend quarterly BCL
  committee meetings.
• Contribute content to promote events and activities on the website and newsletter, working
  with the BCL communications team.
• Work in line with the vision of Barnes Common Limited and VRCGP.

Terms of Contract:

This is
a fixed one year contract for two days a week (fifteen hours) at an hourly rate of £12.00.
Hours are flexible during the week but it would be expected that at least one day would be set
in order for BCL staff and volunteers to plan accordingly. The project is based at the Vine
Road Recreation Ground, Vine Road, Barnes SW13 0NE.

The position would report to BCL’s
Development Manager. Depending on the performance of the successful candidate and the
availability of future funding, the contract maybe extended accordingly.

Application:

Deadline
for applications is 5pm Monday 10th April with first interviews in week commencing 17th April
and second interviews following shortly afterwards in anticipation of likely start date around
1st May.

CV’s and a short covering note should be sent to [email protected] as
can any initial queries about the position. Receipt of applications will be acknowledged.