✨Volunteering with Us

Three magical ways to join us — and make a difference

The heart of The Oaks has always been about care — not just for our guests, but for those in need of rest, refuge, and connection. That same spirit led us to found the Congenital Anaemia Network, a UK-registered charity supporting individuals and families living with rare, inherited blood disorders.

These are often lifelong and complex conditions. Our charity offers vital support — from patient advocacy and emotional guidance, to community events and funding for medical research. A portion of every stay at The Oaks helps fund this mission. But more than that, we dedicate one weekend each month for patients and their families to stay in our woodland retreat free of charge — offering a little enchantment, peace, and joy to those who carry so much.

We invite volunteers from around the world to join us in this work — helping run the charity, support our guesthouse, and bring magic to every corner of our woodland world. There are three routes for joining us:

🧭 Route 1: Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS)

For citizens of eligible countries, aged 18–30/35

This is the best option if you'd like to stay and volunteer with us for longer than 30 days.

Eligibility:

Citizens of countries including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Uruguay, Iceland, San Marino, Andorra, Monaco
EU countries (coming soon)

Why choose this route?

Freedom to work, volunteer, and explore across the UK
Longer-term immersion in the magical world of The Oaks
No sponsorship required — just a placement letter from us to support your visa

👉 Check your country’s eligibility

🌿 Route 2: Short-Term Volunteering (Up to 30 Days)

Under a Standard Visitor Visa: If you are not eligible to a YMS visa, you are still able to volunteer in the UK but only for a UK registered charity (which we are). Your work would be more focused on the charity work rather than the guesthouse though some of the work is related.

Good to know:

No sponsorship required
Volunteering must be unpaid and for a genuine charity
Ideal for those passing through the UK or trying out The Oaks before a longer stay

👉 More about volunteering as a visitor

🕊️ Route 3: Charity Worker Visa

For volunteers staying over 30 days

If you're not eligible for YMS, we can sponsor you through the registered charity for the Temporary Work – Charity Worker visa, allowing a stay of up to 12 months. Your work will be more closely aligned to the charity's mission, working on helping with our fund raising events, helping us with guest stays aligned with the charity, helping with the chocolate making and honey which are sold to raise money for the charity.

Requirements:

A Certificate of Sponsorship from us
A confirmed volunteering role with our charity

What we offer:

Magical on-site accommodation
Support through the visa application process
The chance to be part of something unique, immersive, and meaningful

🌟 Life as a Volunteer

Whether you stay for a few weeks or a full year, your days at The Oaks might include:

Tending to the bees or the land
Helping make chocolate which is sold to raise money for the charity
Supporting our Narnia-inspired guesthouses and escape room
Cooking, crafting, creating stories, and sharing fireside laughter and organising events for our guests and for our patients

You’ll live in magical woodland accommodation, share meals with fellow travellers, and contribute to something that matters.