news from the office

Aug 30, 2014

The summer has proved as busy for the WWOOF UK team as any other season and we’ve been endeavouring to respond to your feedback and requests for help. It’s been really encouraging over the last year to see how much both WWOOFers and hosts have welcomed, and come to rely on, the WWOOFer profiles we made available to WWOOFers with online membership. When we originally set the profiles up it was with the assumption that WWOOFers who had opted to have a book membership probably wouldn’t want to use the website so wouldn’t need a profile, but as it’s turned out, as our hosts have got used to seeing WWOOFer details on their profiles, we’ve had some enquiries from hosts about why they can’t find book member details.

the sun shone - the hay was made!

So, after a bit of pondering, we have worked out a way for book members to have a profile and for hosts to leave feedback about them. This was made available in early August and we hope it will be helpful. And just to remind you – joint membership is a single, reduce-priced membership for two people who want to WWOOF at the same place at the same time. That means there’s just one profile for those memberships but it is possible for photos and details of both people to be included in it.  

Every year there seems to be one or two issues that trouble hosts and WWOOFers. This year a good number of hosts have contacted us about WWOOFers who haven’t turned up. We mentioned this in the last newsletter and it continues to be an issue. Mike Hammer, who looks after member relations for us, has started to keep records of those WWOOFers who don’t turn up that we hear about so that we can monitor the situation. So please get in touch if you are let down without notice by a WWOOFer using info@wwoof.org.uk

The difficulty that WWOOFers are reporting to us most this year is of hosts not replying to their initial enquiries. There may be all sorts of reasons why hosts don’t reply but we would like to remind you that we ask that every contact from WWOOFers should be acknowledged within two weeks. Maybe now is a good time to draw everyone’s attention to the ethos and mission page on our website (www.wwoof.org.uk/content/wwoof-uks-ethos-and-mission). This is quite a new page that tries to manage both hosts and WWOOFers’ expectations of each other. Hope it helps.

a WWOOF UK wedding! 
In early July, on the first anniver-sary of their first meeting, WWOOF UK’s co-ordinator, Scarlett Penn married Philip Stapley in what must have been one of the WWOOFiest, lowest-impact, completely sustainable and enjoyable celebrations of a union in history!

the very happy couple

The whole WWOOF UK team was invited, and attended, along with some of our directors – not to mention family, friends, some fabulous musicians and a couple of friendly and vocal dogs. It was a delight and privilege to be a part of such a heartfelt and generous occasion and their commitment not only to each other but to the ideals that are at the very heart of WWOOF shone through the day. Scarlett and Phil grew much of the food we were served, they helped to cut the hay from the field their wedding was held in and Phil even went so far as to build some compost toilets for our ‘convenience’. Thank you both from all of us for sharing your day, and WWOOF UK wishes you the greatest happiness, always.

Episode 7 – Claudio Pozzi

Episode 7 – Claudio Pozzi

The guest of this episode is Claudio Pozzi from WWOOF Italia. Despite being the founder of WWOOF Italia, Claudio played a key role in the early development of the Federation of WWOOF Organisation. His long term involvement and his vision of the WWOOF movement are very...

WWOOF UK needs YOU! We’re recruiting Trustees

WWOOF UK needs YOU! We’re recruiting Trustees

Would you like to join an existing group of five dedicated individuals who are committed to overseeing the direction of WWOOF UK? Do you want to help more people experience first-hand the meaningful connection to self, land and others that immersion in a low impact...

25% off WWOOF UK membership until 2nd April

25% off WWOOF UK membership until 2nd April

Use discount code DAFFODILS when you sign up before the 2nd April for a 25% discount on any WWOOF UK membership. Don't be an April fool and miss out on this great discount! We have lots of hosts eagerly awaiting new enthusiastic WWOOFers for the season, and plenty of...

Follow up ‘Rat Control’ responses

Follow up ‘Rat Control’ responses

Thank you all for such a great array of responses to the #PennToPaper Rat Control article in the last newsletter. If you didn’t get around to reading it or want to refresh your memory, then here’s the link. Read on to explore the answers you all contributed, and don't...

Lesley Gorski a WWOOFing legacy

Lesley Gorski a WWOOFing legacy

Last year, we received the sombre news that long-standing WWOOFer Lesley Gorski had passed away. We were very saddened to hear this news as Lesley was well known by WWOOF staff, and had been one of the last remaining old-school members still using the...