Community participation and volunteering have been at the heart of Mudchute since it was established over thirty years ago. Sitting on the Isle of Dogs close to Canary Wharf, Mudchute is a unlikely piece of countryside in an extremely urban East End setting.
Visitors to Mudchute’s 32 acres of green space can enjoy a small farm complete with cows, sheep, pigs and the full range of British farm animals, as well as an equestrian centre and a nature reserve with a wide variety of habitats. Mudchute doesn’t charge an entrance fee and is run by a small staff team, so the help and support of many different volunteer groups are essential to its running. School children visit and get involved through the active Education Department, corporate volunteers come from Canary Wharf and the City in groups large and small to undertake maintenance and construction projects, and many individual volunteers help out across the whole organization. For students who are over 16, Mudchute offers work experience. There are volunteer roles always available in child care, admin, horticulture, maintenance and animal care. More details and an application form can be found on the Mudchute website.