Volunteer
Located in the village of Haddenham in rural Buckinghamshire, Tiggywinkles offers an outstanding volunteering environment, working in a professional veterinary practice specialising in wildlife, giving our volunteers the chance to be part of a friendly, passionate, and highly skilled patient-focused team at our world-leading wildlife hospital. As well as the opportunity to develop your experience and help support Britain’s amazing wild species, volunteers have free on-site parking, good road and rail links, and fun social events.
Husbandry Volunteers
We are looking for Husbandry Volunteers to assist in the Hospital and Rehabilitation Enclosures doing animal husbandry one day each week, on Mondays or Fridays, 9am to 5pm, on a regular basis, for a minimum of 6 months.
Tiggywinkles is a very busy, working veterinary Hospital, so volunteers need to be able to work independently, at speed, as we get extremely busy through most of the year. There will be regular periods when you will be working on your own in our smaller wards or outside areas.
Husbandry work involves cleaning cages and enclosures in our very busy Hospital; preparing and providing food for the animals; along with cleaning, tidying and seasonal enclosure maintenance across the rest of the Hospital areas – working inside and outside, in all weathers. Bedding needs to be washed and dried every day. Food bowls and utensils are washed and sterilised every day.
We work with wild animals, who are likely to try and escape, and volunteers need to be able to work quickly and efficiently to minimise the stress levels on our wild patients. Our goal is to release animals back into the wild at the end of their treatment, so minimal handling of animals is essential to keep them wild. We also do not talk to our animals, as they find this very stressful.
As we are caring for sick and injured animals, biosecurity and infection control are an essential part of the cleaning regime for our husbandry volunteers, as we need to ensure all animals undergoing their treatments are kept in very clean enclosures at all times, so attention to detail is a key part of our volunteers’ role, as you are responsible for the welfare of the animals that you are working with.
As our Hospital gets extremely busy through the Spring and Summer months, our volunteers play a key part in assisting the efficient running of the Hospital husbandry routines and need to adhere to all health and safety, and biosecurity policies and procedures at all times.
Volunteers need to be over 18, with current tetanus cover, and able to provide two employment-based referees, as all positions are subject to acceptable references.
All volunteers are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, as we work with young people and vulnerable adults.
Volunteers are also required to complete and pass free online safeguarding training.
If this role is of interest to you, please send in your completed Husbandry Application Form
Volunteer Rescuers
Are you someone who fancies a challenge?
We need volunteer rescuers who are happy to rescue and transport sick and injured large animals and bring them to Tiggywinkles in your own vehicle.
Currently we are looking for:
Daytime Rescuers in Oxford; Abingdon; Kidlington; Bicester; Buckingham; Witney; Woodstock to cover weekday daytimes.
Evening & Weekend Rescuers from anywhere in Bucks/Oxon area who are available Evenings & Weekends.
We will provide all the required training and equipment for you to rescue animals such as Swans, Foxes, Badgers and Deer.
All volunteer Rescuers need to be over the age of 21 and be able to provide two employment referees.
You also need your own transport, a car with a hatchback or large boot (or even a small van) would be ideal.
A series of short training sessions will be carried out on site here, on weekday afternoons, covering the safe handling and transport of the different large species.
If this sounds like the right fit for you, please fill in our Rescuer Application Form
Thank you for your kind support!
Volunteer Fosterers for Orphaned Juvenile Mammals
We are looking for Volunteers to foster orphaned juvenile mammals in their own homes. All training and equipment will be provided.
Baby season runs from roughly April to October time, so we are looking to recruit and train people who will be available across the whole baby season.
We are looking for people who are available most of the time throughout the day, 7 days a week. Juvenile hedgehogs, for example, need feeding every 2-3 hours and can take a little while to feed. Each feed may take 15 to 30 minutes for the group of babies that you would be caring for.
All volunteer Rescuers need to be over the age of 21 and be able to provide two employment referees.
You also need your own transport.
If this sounds like the right fit for you, please fill in our Fostering Application form
Thank you for your kind support!
Volunteer Ambulance Drivers
Are you someone who fancies a challenge?
We need volunteer ambulance drivers who are happy to transport sick and injured small animals and bring them to Tiggywinkles in your own vehicle.
Currently we are looking for anywhere in Bucks/Oxon area.
All volunteer Rescuers need to be over the age of 21 and be able to provide two employment referees.
You also need your own transport.
A series of short training sessions will be carried out on site here, on weekday afternoons, covering the safe handling and transport of the different species.
If this sounds like the right fit for you, please fill in our Ambulance Driver Application Form and send to [email protected].
Visitor Centre Volunteering
Tasks to include:
- Upkeep of the centre – Gardening, jet washing pathways, leaf blowing, cleaning windows, painting etc.
- Kiosk cover, serving teas coffees cakes etc to members of the public.
- Holding animal talks for the public when colleagues aren’t available.
- Serving members of the public in the gift shop.
All visitor centre volunteers need to be over the age of 16.
If this sounds like the right fit for you, please fill in our Visitor Centre Volunteer Application form and send it to [email protected].
Maintenance Volunteering
Tasks will include:
Assist in general outdoor maintenance to include fence painting & general DIY tasks.
- To assist with repairs and upkeep of aviaries and enclosures.
- Help with maintaining the grounds to include grassed areas, verges, hedges, plant borders and litter picking.
- Internal redecoration to include small repairs, preparation work and painting.
- To assist in any small projects.
Qualities we would ideally be looking for in a Volunteer in this area:
General DIY experience such as painting/decorating/repairs/gardening.
Experience in a trade such as carpentry, plumbing, electrical, decorating.
Enjoys working as part of a team or individually on own their initiative.
A good understanding of health & safety and working to policies & procedures.
For more information and an application form please email [email protected].
Admin Team Volunteering
In the admin team we will be looking to recruit volunteers to assist Monday – Friday daytimes in our busy reception.
Tasks will include:
- Handling enquiries from members of the public both face to face at the casualty reception and over the telephone.
- Booking in Animal casualties.
- Liaising with members of the public and our Volunteers to arrange Rescues and Ambulance pick ups.
- General Administration support such as filing.
- Maintaining the cleanliness and overall appearance of the Reception area.
Qualities we would ideally be looking for in a Volunteer in this area:
A professional and caring manner.
Confident telephone manner.
Some previous office experience or Experience of working in a public facing or customer service environment would be beneficial, but full training would be given.
A high level of attention to detail.
We are looking to recruit Monday – Friday daytimes.
If this sounds like the right fit for you, please fill in our Reception and Admin Volunteer Application form and send it to [email protected].
Work experience placements
For over 16’s, why not consider a work experience placement? To find out more, please click here.