The Christiane Schmidt bursary is back! – helping young Germans WWOOF in the UK – Summer 2020

Jan 28, 2020

WWOOF UK and WWOOF Germany have once again combined, to offer three bursaries (valued at £140 each) so that young people in Germany aged 16-21 can volunteer in the UK in 2020 and share their story on social media. 

The funds are being offered in memory of Christiane Schmidt, a valued member of the WWOOF UK team who sadly passed away on 30th March 2018.

Christiane was a huge fan of WWOOF and volunteered in New Zealand and Australia as well as her home country, Germany, before settling in the UK in 1995. She went on to become a WWOOF host and in 2007 joined the WWOOF UK team as Financial Administrator.

There is no doubt that WWOOF shaped Christiane’s life – and that she too made an important contribution to WWOOF. We know she would want others to have the same opportunities to travel, learn and grow with WWOOF as she did.

Each bursary will offer:

  • a single UK WWOOFer online membership worth £20

  • £120 towards return journey travel costs.     

Bursary winners will be expected to create:

  • social media content about their WWOOF story as it unfolds

  • a written report of their experience for publication in WWOOF UK Newsletter upon their return

  • a library of images from their trip for use by WWOOF UK.

  • a 1.5 min video about their WWOOFing experience

To be eligible to apply you must be:

  • aged 16-21 on 30th March 2020

  • a German citizen currently living in Germany

  • able to travel to the UK to volunteer for a minimum of one week between 1st June-31st October 2020.

Announcing the bursaries WWOOF UK Co-ordinator Scarlett Penn said: ‘Christiane loved WWOOF and WWOOFing and would be thrilled to know others have been helped to follow in her footsteps. We hope the winners will find their experience to be as life-enhancing as it was for Christiane.’

WWOOF UK offers hands-on experience on organic farms, gardens and smallholdings – all provide food, accommodation and learning in exchange for practical help on the land. Our hosts range from a low-impact woodland settlement to a 600-hectare mixed holding with on-site farm shop, cafe and education centre. Today in the UK there are 565 hosts and 3899 volunteers.

Do you fit the bursary criteria? Do you want to understand more about the relationship between local food production and community spirit? Would you like to meet inspiring people who care for the land? Then this bursary is for you!

Here are just some of the photos of last years adventures of the bursary winners, Judith, Merlin and Hannah. 

** Applications must be submitted here by 30th April 2020. **

#wwoofukbursary2020

 

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