Incredible Edible Coordinator (voluntary position)
We are Incredible Edible, Totnes. We’re rethinking access to local food, from the ground up. We’re growing fruit, herbs, nuts, vegetables and edible flowers in public and unused spaces across Totnes for everyone to share.
We are currently looking for a voluntary project coordinator to join our team of lead and casual volunteers. You’ll help to promote the work and vision of Incredible Edible Totnes and care for our edible growing sites.
The role is diverse and flexible and you will have the opportunity to shape it according to your interests and experience. There is also the opportunity to work with the Transition Town Totnes team to explore funding for creating a paid coordinator role.
The role requires a commitment of around 1 day per week averaged across the year. We would be open to the possibility of this role being shared between two people or being carried out by a team of coordinators, so do get in touch if there are parts of the role you would be interested in, even if you don’t want to take on the whole role.
Key responsibilities
- Promote the Incredible Edible Totnes vision of growing food in public spaces for all to share.
- Inspire others to take part in growing and harvesting the food.
- Work with lead and casual volunteers to ensure trees and other plants on the various sites are cared for sufficiently.
- Ensure the necessary tools and other materials are available as needed.
- Maintain the necessary communication with Transition Town Totnes and with the managers of the various sites - District and Town Council, Devon and Cornwall Housing, Sharpham Trust etc – as well as with project partners.
- Source funds necessary to maintain the project as and when needed.
Additional responsibilities (to suit your interests and capacity)
- Deliver educational activities and information about food growing and caring for fruit and nut trees.
- Hold activities and events at the various Incredible Edible sites to raise awareness and build community around the shared tasks of cultivation of trees, shrubs and edible plants.
- Extend the growing sites for trees and other plants.
- Respond to the international interest that Transition Town Totnes inspires, mainly from other European countries, to join the Incredible Edible project for a few days/weeks or months.
- Respond to requests for filming, interviews with journalists and taking part in research about the Transition movement.
Who we’re looking for
You don’t need lots of experience but you do need to enjoy working with people and plants and have a passion for making local food accessible to all. Here are some of the skills and experience that could be helpful to the position:
- Interest in community food growing and the wider food sovereignty movement
- Enjoy working as part of a team and collaborating with others
- Good communication skills
- Experience of coordinating volunteers
- Experience working on community food growing projects
- Knowledge of food growing and caring for fruit and nut trees
- IT skills, such as social media, WordPress and Mailchimp
What we can offer
The coordinator role is a voluntary position that comes with many benefits:
- The opportunity to have an induction and handover with our current coordinator, Wendy Stayte, who will help get you started.
- Training which is relevant to your role, such as First Aid training, managing volunteers, marketing/social media, IT e.g. WordPress and Mailchimp.
- Central support from the Transition Town Totnes Administrator and Communications Manager.
- Participation in Transition Town Totnes core group and focus groups e.g. fundraising, communications
- Access to equipment and supplies for events, plus use of office facilities
- The possibility to work with the Transition Town Totnes team to explore funding for creating a paid coordinator role.
You’ll benefit from a network of people involved with Transition Town Totnes and the wider network of those involved in local food growing projects with whom you can collaborate, learn and share.
The story behind Incredible Edible, Totnes
In March 2007, with a small civic fanfare, Rob Hopkins and a few others planted 7 nut trees on Vire Island. This was the start of the Transition Town Totnes Nut tree project, aiming at growing nut trees in and around Totnes to provide a nourishing source of local food.
Since that time the project has flourished and we have planted over 300 trees, mostly on public land, but also in two local schools and on the Totnes side of the Sharpham estate. Of these more than 200 have survived.
In 2011, inspired by hearing a presentation from Incredible Edible Todmorden, in addition to trees, we started growing edible herbs, flowers, soft fruit and vegetables in public places.
In 2012, we started a Forest Garden and tree nursery at Follaton arboretum, which brings together the growing of plants, trees, shrubs and small plants all in one place.
Through 2016 and into 2017 Incredible Edible Totnes has been working with Orchard Link on Growing Orchard Communities, to encourage people to enjoy, care for and harvest from these orchards.
For nearly 10 years, Wendy Stayte has been at the core of Incredible Edible Totnes activities, acting as project co-ordinator and helping to coordinate volunteers to grow delicious food for the people of Totnes and promote the project. As she steps down we are looking to recruit one, or several, people to fill the co-ordinator role, to support the continuation of this fantastic project. We already have a team of volunteers taking the lead on certain aspects of the project and we’re looking for one or more people to take a lead on overall coordination.
How to apply
There is no formal application process or deadline for this role. You simply need to contact Wendy Stayte if you’re interested or if you’d like to find out more: 01803 868305 or wendystt997@gmail.com
You can also meet Wendy at one of our Incredible Edible events:
Every Wednesday, 4pm – 6pm at Steamer Quay and Rowing Club
Monday 12th June, 8am – 5pm at Rockery, Station and Atmos Hub
Sunday 18th June, 2pm – 4.30pm Tree care at Follaton
Find out more about Incredible Edible Totnes on our website
Transition Town Totnes 