Press Release

Be a Garden Guide...

Kew Gardens seeks volunteer guides

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is looking for a broad range of volunteers of varying age groups and ethnic backgrounds. They are hoping to recruit 20 new guides to join their present team of 40. The last recruitment drive was 3 years ago and the team now needs to be enlarged to match the growing demands for guiding at Kew. Kew is hoping to attract people who speak languages in addition to English to serve the many visitors from around the world. Applications from people who speak languages of the Far East and the Indian Sub-Continent would be most welcome.

The main role of Kew Volunteer Guides is to provide visitors with information on the history, work and living collections of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and to explain the importance of plants and the need to ensure better management of world resources. Guides will also help visitors to find their way around Kew and supply them with information about the facilities available within the gardens. The aim of the guiding programme is to increase the educational value, interest and enjoyment of a visit to Kew Gardens.

Kew Volunteer Guides are asked to do a minimum of 3 tours a month, 10 months of the year. Winter months tend to be quiet. The Gardens are at their busiest in May, June and July so guides can expect to take on from 6 to 8 tours per month during these months. Each tour lasts approximately 1 hour, however Guides will need to do a recognisance of the intended itinerary before each tour, as the Gardens are constantly changing.

The induction training programme will comprise twelve full days, one day per week over twelve weeks, starting mid-September 2006. This will provide the basic information and skills needed to take tours of the Gardens. Thereafter Guides will need to attend monthly sessions to keep abreast of developments and increase their knowledge base.

Notes to Editors:

Kew is looking for good communicators with a keen interest in plants and in the work of Kew Gardens. To receive an application pack, please send a postcard with your name and address to Volunteer Guides Recruitment, Museum No. 1, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AB. Applications will not be taken by phone or email. Deadline for completed applications: Friday July 28th. Interviews 7-18 August.

For further press information please contact Lauren Bird, Oliver Basciano or Anna Quenby on 0208 332 5607 or email pr@kew.org.

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