Voluntary Assistant Wardens - Skomer Island

Island Bookings 2010

Island Bookings is open 8.45am-3pm Monday to Friday with a short break from 11.45am-12.15pm.

Please phone first to make a provisional booking and to ensure there is room available on the date you wish,

The booking form should be returned within 10 working days in order to confirm the provisional booking. All booking forms will be acknowledged within seven working days and a reminder will be sent, along with further information, about 12 weeks before you are due to go to the island. If you are unable to take up your place, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can organise a replacement.

Any cancellations will be posted here. We are currently full for this year but we can place you on a waiting list.

 


The 2010 season on Skomer sees changes in the volunteering system.

There will be a nominal fee of £35 per person per week. This is to help with the administration of the scheme and the upkeep of accommodation and infrastructure.

If you wish to cancel then the fee, less a £15 administration charge, will be refunded providing your written or emailed cancellation reaches the Island Booking office 28 days before the start of your volunteering week. No refunds will be made after that date.

A number of free places will be funded through the Skalmey Bursary for students, unemployed and people on low incomes. These are now filled but you may register in case of cancellation.

Applications are invited for these places. Please complete the application form and send it to Island Bookings in the normal way, along with a covering letter explaining your reasons for applying for the bursary place. Students should enclose a letter from their course tutor giving the name of their college or university, the title of their course and the start and finish dates. Unemployed and low income applicants must give proof of their status for the applciation.

The island staff will go through these applications in December and allocate places. We shall inform the successful applicants in the first week of January and you must then let us know if you still wish to take up your place.

Please note the following before applying to be a volunteer:

Applicants should be at least 16 years of age. It is essential that prospective volunteers are in good health and have a reasonable level of fitness. You will need to be able to walk several miles each day and to carry luggage up a steep flight of steps several times a day. You need to be healthy and robust enough to enjoy working outside in all weather conditions including strong sunshine, heavy rain and strong wind.

Please click here for a pdf chart which gives an indication of what tasks you will be asked to do during the season.

Please contact Island Bookings on 01239 621600/621212 prior to sending in the booking form to ascertain up-to-date vacancies and make a provisional booking.

Please click here for application form in word format and here for application form in pdf format and return to Island Bookings, Welsh Wildlife Centre, Cilgerran, Cardigan, Pembrokeshire SA43 2TB.

Island bookings are open Monday to Friday 8.45am-3pm with a short break between 11.45am and 12.15pm.

Islands email address is: islands@welshwildlife.org

About Volunteering

Resident full time Wardens oversee the running of the Island which is open to visitors between April and October. During the season we have vacancies for up to six Volunteer Wardens each week (Saturday to Saturday) from March to the end of October, to assist with managing day visitors and overnight paying guests, conservation work (including bird and cetacean surveys) and buildings maintenance. We cannot guarantee in advance what work you will be doing!


Volunteers' quartersVolunteers' quarters
Accommodation is simple. It has been rebuilt and consists of two bunk-bedded rooms and one twin bedded room with shared toilet and shower facilities. Duvets and pillows are provided but you should bring pillow cases and either duvet cover and undersheet or sleeping bag and undersheet. Stout footwear, warm and waterproof clothing are essential.

 

Volunteers' kitchenVolunteers' kitchen
You must bring your own food (enough for a week and an extra day or so in case bad weather strands you on the island). Volunteers have their own kitchen with cooking and refrigeration by gas. There is solar powered electricity for lighting and hot water - do not leave hot taps running, the hot water is limited! Please note there are no laundry or clothes drying facilities on the island or central heating. There is a good supply of water on the island in a storage tank but you may find wet wipes useful.

There is free boat passage to and from the Island and free landing on the island.