Since shortly after we started, we have had volunteers coming to Tirylan House for free stays in return for some work (usually in the forest garden). These have been a mixture of people, some contacting us through Buddhist or Middle Way Society connections, and others being Wwoofers (Willing Workers on Organic Farms – an organization that arranges volunteer placements). Many of the wwoofers have left positive reviews that you can read on our profile on the WWOOF site.
From the beginning of 2025 we are planning to focus these volunteer placements more in working retreats, so that volunteers (however they found us) have the opportunity to get a fuller experience of being here more like a regular retreat. This means that we are asking volunteers to try to come for one or two weeks on some specific dates, so that they are more likely to arrive and leave with others. Each week we ask people to work in the garden for 6 days for about 4 hours a day, with the seventh as an interchange and/or rest day. We will also be offering some meditation sessions, and perhaps discussion and arts sessions, depending on the experience and needs of whoever is on a particular working retreat. There will also be regular shared meals and periods of free time each day. There will be no requirements to attend particular activities, but we hope you will want to join them to deepen your experience of volunteering into a retreat-like one.
Please note that you need to be reasonably fit and in reasonable physical and mental health to join a working retreat. It is fine if you are recovering from a physical or mental health issue, but please tell us about this when booking. We will try and accommodate tasks to your capacities, but obviously there is a minimum level of health and fitness needed.
Here are the dates of our planned working retreats during the first half of 2025. Where there are three dates together, they indicate that you can come for one or two weeks, preferably arriving and leaving on two of these dates.
6th-13th-20th January 2025
3rd-10th-17th March 2025
16th-23rd April 2025
12th-19th May 2025
2nd-9th-16th June 2025
No money changes hands if you attend any of these working retreats. You can either arrange them as a volunteering placement through WWOOF, or you can book them on our website using the retreat booking form (but without any need to submit payment). Please give us as much information about yourself as possible in the free writing boxes: it is helpful if you can tell us things like your age, usual occupation, and living situation. We may get back to you to confirm your booking, and/or to ask for further details before doing so.
For further details about volunteering and working retreats, please also see our WWOOF profile. You can also contact us if you have any further questions.