VOLUNTEER
Are you interested in volunteering at our 2026 Singing with Nightingales season and joining our team in the springtime woodland?
Volunteering with us is a rare opportunity to spend time living and working with nature, in collaboration with a wild bird, a woodland, and a community of artists, listeners, and fellow volunteers.
About SWN
Singing with Nightingales is an extraordinary series of springtime events where musicians duet with wild Nightingales in a secluded woodland setting. The events were founded by folk singer, writer and naturalist, Sam Lee, with 40-60 people participating each night.
Each evening is joined by a special guest musician and includes performances by the campfire, a nature walk in the woods, food, drink and post-dinner tales of the Nightingale’s life, songs and folklore. Once darkness has fallen, the group walk in silence through the woodland paths to find the wild Nightingales. Here, everyone gathers in close to listen to the musician’s sublime duet with this endangered and revered bird, together into the night.
Volunteering with Us
We are looking for community-minded, nature-loving and committed people to join our camp in Sussex next spring. Our volunteers are an integral part of what makes Singing with Nightingales possible. You’ll be part of a small, close-knit team living on site and supporting the events behind the scenes.
We aim for volunteering with us to be a nourishing and enriching experience, where care for the land, the birds, the participants, and each other are held together. We are working in co-creation with a wild bird in a living ecosystem, and we’re looking for volunteers who are excited by this way of working.
You don’t need previous experience, as we welcome both new and returning volunteers, but you do need to be:
Comfortable spending several days living and working outdoors
Willing to camp and share facilities
Prepared for variable spring weather
Open to doing practical, sometimes messy tasks
Able to work both independently and as part of a team
Dates
Runs typically take place midweek to weekends. Volunteers are asked to commit to one full run, arriving the day before the first event and staying until the morning of departure:
Mon 6 – Wed 8 April (Build days)
Wed 8 – Mon 13 April
Wed 15 – Mon 20 April
Wed 22 – Mon 27 April
Wed 29 April – Mon 4 May
Wed 6 – Mon 11 May
Wed 13 – Mon 18 May
Wed 20 – Tues 26 May
Tues 26 May – Sun 31 May
Mon 1 – Wed 3 June (De-rig)
Location
Barcombe, Sussex
What volunteering with us involves
During the season, we set up a temporary camp in the woodland for several weeks. This includes:
A public fireside gathering area
A temporary kitchen
Staff and participant camping areas
Storage tents and site infrastructure
Roles
Volunteers support the smooth running of the camp and events through a rotation of practical roles, which may include:
Supporting the kitchen team (washing up, preparing drinks, assisting with meals)
Preparing and resetting participant areas
Tidying and caring for shared spaces (including compost toilets)
Welcoming and checking in participants
Preparing fires, lanterns, flowers, and herbal teas
Stewarding evening performances and night walks
Supporting artists and team members as needed
Setting up camp and packing it down
Tasks are practical and hands-on, but the pace of the days are designed with time to rest, connect, and enjoy being immersed in the woodland. Where possible, volunteers are also supported to attend one workshop or event during their stay.
Practicalities
Arrival & departure
Volunteers arrive the day before the first event by 4pm, with dinner together at 7pm.
Departure is on the final morning, with a shared closing moment and checkout by 10–11am
Camping
Volunteers camp on site with the SWN team. You’ll bring your own camping equipment, but if this is a barrier, please let us know. We are able to offer equipment and outdoor gear.
Facilities
Compost toilets on site
Showers available (approx. 20-minute walk)
Cold running water and hot water via urn
Limited power access in the kitchen
Otherwise an off-grid site
Food & drink
All meals, snacks, and drinks are provided (plant-based).
Clothing
Volunteers need appropriate clothing for all-weather outdoor work, including warm layers, waterproofs, and sturdy footwear. Again, if this is a barrier, please let us know and we can support you.
Support & access
If travel costs, equipment, health, mobility, or energy levels might affect your ability to volunteer, we encourage you to let us know in your application. We aim to make volunteering as accessible as possible and are able to offer travel contributions, equipment lending, or additional on-site support.
How to apply
Please complete our application form. If you’d like to be notified with regular programme updates, please sign up to our newsletter.
We review applications in two stages: 13th January & 2nd February. Shortlisted applicants are invited to a short phone call before final decisions are made.