Farm Rescue Volunteer

Every year, tonnes of perfectly good fruit is left unharvested in orchards across the UK. Labour shortages, production costs, supermarket sourcing practises and an increasing volatility in weather patterns have made commercial fruit growing a less attractive prospect in the UK. 

As a result, many fruit harvests are going unpicked with British apples, pears and plums simply falling to the floor to decompose. Between August – November, Felix sends teams of volunteers out to partnered farms in Kent to pick this fruit, ready to be transported back to our depots and distributed to frontline community groups across the UK. That’s primary schools, homeless shelters and community kitchens being stocked with healthy produce that would have otherwise gone to waste before ever leaving the farms. 

To do this, we need support from volunteers who are keen to roll up their sleeves and join our farm rescue effort at locations in Kent.

• Picking apples, pears and plums into buckets / baskets
• Quality-checking fruit
• Carefully loading produce into trays
• Helping the team load the vans which are sent to Felix sites daily

• Follow any health and safety instructions detailed by the Farm Lead during your shifts’ volunteer briefing 
• Follow food safety principles when handling produce
• Be comfortable carrying out physical work, including lifting, pouring picked fruit into trays and standing on your feet for extended periods of time
• Wear sturdy outdoor shoes (no sandals) and practical, weather appropriate clothing that you don’t mind getting muddy / dirty

If you’re already a Felix volunteer, please speak to your local Volunteer Manager about this role. If you’re new to Felix, select a location below and complete the application form.