Sherwood Observatory relies on the support of an active group of volunteers to run our venue and programme of events

Whether you are volunteering for your Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) award, are an amateur astronomer or would just like to give back to your community, we are keen to hear from you.

By volunteering you can help us share our enthusiasm for astronomy with visitors which in turn helps us realise our vision of raising aspiration and increasing opportunities for the people of Ashfield and the surrounding areas.

How we support our volunteers

We’re committed to giving our volunteers the best experience possible. We’ll listen to you to find out what you would like to get out of volunteering with us and will match you to a role that suits your experience and availability.

We will provide training and support as required to make sure that you have all the knowledge needed to fulfil your role.

As well as the satisfaction that comes from volunteering your time, you will also be able to experience planetarium shows and other events and be part of the Sherwood Observatory team.

Our venue is accessible to those with restricted mobility, and we actively work towards our accessibility goals. Please state on your application form any disability or support needs you may have so that we can make reasonable adjustments where possible to support you in your role

Student placements and work experience

We welcome applications for work experience and placements. Whether we can accommodate you will depend on when you are available and our capacity to support you so that you get the most out of the experience.

For placements and work experience please complete the same volunteering application form below.

How to apply to volunteer at Sherwood Observatory

Our volunteering programme is open to anyone who can meet the screening for the role they are applying for including references and disclosure steps (where applicable).

After applying, we will be in touch to get to know you more so that we can find a good fit for you within our organisation.

You’ll need to provide us with the names and contact details of two people who can provide references for you. We will discuss with you if the role we have identified requires disclosure checks such as a DBS check.

Ready to join the team? Apply today!