With almost 200 acres of land and over 100,000 square feet of historic property, the management and maintenance of Quarr Abbey is a huge task. The monastic community continue to maintain the traditional pattern of prayer, reading and work, but with only a small number of monks, the abbey relies on a dedicated workforce of unpaid volunteers to cover many aspects of the workload.
Quarr Abbey is a registered charity, and is always interested in meeting individuals or organisations that can take on tasks and full responsibility for various activities. The following are examples of organisations involved in supporting the Volunteer Programme:
- Isle of Wight College – Quarr supports the students of the college through facilitating land management projects
- Green Gym – a charity organisation whose members work on garden and land management
- Isle of Wight Volunteer Centre (Community Action Isle of Wight) – who help to place volunteers from all sectors across the Island
- Fishbourne Parish Council – who actively support Quarr Abbey in identifying relevant programmes for the local community
- Southern Housing Muddy Boots Gardening Group and No Barriers – community groups who come to grow and tend to their own produce on Quarr land and then sell the produce to the Quarr Abbey Farmshop
For many years now, Quarr Abbey has created an opportunity called the ‘Land Use Project’ where community groups come to grow and tend to their own produce on Quarr land and then sell the produce to the Quarr Abbey Farmshop. This produce is then sold on to our customers which creates revenue for all of the charities involved, therefore creating sustainability.
Currently we have two organisations that are involved with the project. Muddy Boots Group and No Barriers. Both of these groups are Island based and have members of all abilities. The groups grow the plants from seed. Feed and water them throughout the year and then harvest them when ready. This has been a very successful and rewarding project for all participants and the Abbey.
We are also always looking for individuals that can help in the various commercial elements of the Abbey such as:
- Chefs/caterers
- Plumbers
- Carpenters
- Electricians
- Monastery Shop assistants
- Cleaners
- Gardeners
…and many more
