Gardener (part-time)

Westway Trust is seeking a knowledgeable and passionate part-time Postcode Gardener to:

1. Lead a programme around Notting Dale & North Kensington, to create greener neighbourhoods and encourage community involvement through gardening.
2. Work with the friendly Grounds and Gardens Team to ensure the green spaces across Westway Trust’s 23 acres of land are maintained to a high standard, looking healthy and beautiful at all times.

This role will be critical to ensuring management of a vibrant, diverse and thriving estate.

We’re looking for someone with a love of gardening and community to work with local people to become involved with their green spaces. This is a great opportunity to help local people improve their health and wellbeing and create greener neighbourhoods.

You will be empowered to encourage, facilitate, and provide advice and support through developing links with community groups and those wishing to set up a garden project or green community space. You will also provide practical support by sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm with local people of all ages and backgrounds.

Key responsibilities of the role include but not limited to:

• Support residents with greening their own spaces across Notting Dale/North Kensington.
• Respond to new requests for help and assistance in setting up gardening and greening projects.
• Source plants, materials and help manage an activity budget.
• Ensure all relevant health and safety standards and procedures are followed.
• Work with others in the Westway Team, volunteers and community groups, to maintain green spaces and local greening projects.
• Monitor and evaluate success of activity sessions.
• Routine maintenance to include, weeding, mowing, edging borders, raking leaves, daily litter picking.
• Nursery work – Sowing seed, pricking out, potting on, potting up, pot weeding and maintaining the nursery area.
• Cleaning tools and equipment and use of pressure washer.
• Use of garden machinery including, Pedestrian mowers, Strimmers, Back-Pack & Hand-held blowers, hedge-cutters (Chainsaw use and Woodchipper use – if trained).

Knowledge and Experience:

• Knowledge of cultivated and wild plants and gardening requirements.
• Knowledge of organic and sustainable gardening methods
• Basic computer skills including use of Microsoft Office. (Word, Excel)
• Experience of leading, motivating and instructing mixed-age groups from diverse backgrounds, running sessions and managing volunteers.
• Experience of building links with community groups and residents.
• Experience of helping plan small projects and managing small budgets.
• Experience of producing short progress reports and evaluations.
• Good knowledge of the local area would be beneficial.

Personal Skills:

• Friendly, outgoing and self-motivated with good interpersonal skills.
• Organised and energetic with good time-management skills.
• Confident communicator with good people skills.
• Good at problem-solving or solution finding.
• Reliable and flexible.
• Commitment to eco-friendly gardening practices.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a culturally diverse environment.

About us:

The Westway Trust is a unique charity that stewards the resources of 23 acres of space under the Westway A40. In 2019, a local community campaign ensured that the Board of the Trust is led by local people and the Westway Trust now works together with the local community to enable North Kensington to thrive.

In 2021, a new CEO was appointed, and a new plan was created for the organisation. This plan set a new vision, mission and values and the Trust now has a clear transformation programme to achieve social, environmental, and economic wellbeing and justice. Our leadership team is testament to our values as we strive for excellence and to deliver our ambition, we work with a full range of stakeholders including around 80 Member Organisations. You can see the organisations plan on our website.

The estate is home to more than three acres of public green space, 120 tenants including more than 20 charities and non-profit organisations, two sports and fitness facilities, 48 light industrial units, 4 car parks, 34 offices, 32 shops, and an Olympic-registered skate park.

We already receive more than one million visitors each year to the estate, and we want to expand the community, cultural, retail, sporting, and enterprise opportunities here together with improvements to the public realm so that it is a place the tenants and community is proud of, and even more visitors can enjoy.

Benefits of working with us:

• Great location in the heart of Portobello, North Kensington
• Investor in People (IiP) employer
• Generous holiday entitlement of 25 days (pro-rated) per year + statutory bank holidays
• Free gym membership at health club one minute walk from the office
• Pension scheme
• Life Assurance
• Sick pay scheme
• Season ticket / bicycle loan
• Free eye test voucher

To view the full job description and apply for this newly created role, visit Westway Trust website.

The application deadline is Sunday 3 December when applications will be reviewed and shortlisted for interview.  However, we reserve the right to close the application early.  An early application is strongly recommended.