Harewood House is recruiting new volunteers - here's how to apply

Spending your days working in one of Yorkshire's finest stately homes and its grounds sounds like a dream job.

The Harewood House Trust are currently looking for new volunteers to fill roles in the house, gardens and second-hand bookshop at the ancestral seat of the Lascelles family between Leeds and Harrogate.

How you can get pampered at the Harewood estate's new wellness retreatThe Grade I-listed, 18th-century treasure house currently has over 200 unpaid staff, who work in a variety of jobs, both customer-facing and behind the scenes.

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Harewood HouseHarewood House
Harewood House

Many are guides showing visitors around the stately home or green-fingered garden helpers, while others perform services such as driving the shuttle bus and manning the new chain ferry, which opened last summer. There are several stalwarts who have been volunteering at the attraction for decades.

Current roles available range from room stewards, bird keepers, farm rangers and boat assistants to roles within the learning team, who run school visits.

Harewood is holding an open morning for prospective volunteers on Wednesday June 5.

What do Harewood's volunteers do?

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They perform a variety of roles, from supporting the house staff to running the second-hand bookshop and operating the shuttle bus and ferry. The garden volunteers work on the planting in the walled garden. Volunteers are involved in the preparation of new exhibitions and events, including Christmas at Harewood.

What are the perks of volunteering?

There are social events throughout the year for volunteers, including a summer party, and many of the volunteers forge close friendships with their colleagues.

Who can apply?

The roles are open to anyone, whatever your background, and there's no upper age limit. For most roles you will be on your feet for considerable periods of time, and some jobs, such as chain ferry operator, demand good health and physical fitness. Customer-facing roles are ideal for people with good social skills.

How do I find out more?

The open morning takes place on Wednesday June 5 from 10.30am-12pm. Volunteer co-ordinator Sarak Kirk will be on hand to meet people and several volunteers are available to talk to. There's also a tour of the house and gardens. Refreshments will be served.

Alternatively, you can email [email protected] to express your interest before the deadline of May 31.