Applicants sought for island job – tent and compost toilet provided
ACOUPLE, two family members or two good friends are wanted to stay on a picturesque island off the coast of Cornwall for four months as conservation volunteers.
The post will see two people stay in a tent on Looe island from May to September for free as part of Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s conservation efforts.
Volunteers will work for ten days on, then four days off, with access on and off the island subject to tides, sea and the “availability of the boatman”.
While staying in a bell tent – which resembles a large tepee used by festival glampers – the trust will have successful applicants carry out important work on the island, which is just off Cornwall’s the south coast.
Jobs, according to the trust, will include preparing and welcoming guests to the island – as well as making sure they safely depart at the end of the day.
Aside from keeping the island tourist-proof, the volunteers will be trained to drive a tractor and beach landing trolley to help people board and leave the boat to the island.
They will also learn all about the island’s wildlife and become a font of knowledge for visitors, including getting to grips with facts about the gulls, cormorants, oystercatchers and seals found on Looe Island.
And there will be more practical nature-related tasks to carry out as well, including cutting, clearing and burning dead plants, repairing paths and steps, and painting sheds.
Animal lovers can also expect to record and photograph seals, butterflies, and seabirds – as well as managing livestock. The island has a small flock of sheep, which volunteers will need to check on daily, and a set of hens which need watering, feeding and egg-collecting.
The trust described life on the island as “unpredictable”, and said the perfect volunteers would be willing to adapt as things change.
The job description said: “This role enables you to become fully immersed in living offshore, surrounded by wildlife and with few trappings of the modern, convenience-led world.
“Island life will teach you to carefully manage resources and to be well organised and self-sufficient. Above all you will be able to make a genuine contribution to wildlife conservation and awareness-raising of this amazing nature reserve with the general public.”
Anyone who is “reliable and responsible”, and over the age of 18, can apply, and they will need to commit for the full four months.
There is no fridge, but basic necessities like bedding and an outside BBQ are there ready for use.
The toilet situation is described by the trust as “a short distance downhill from the bell tent there is compost toilet dedicated to residential volunteers”.
The trust added: “Water conservation is a key element of island life.
“The compost toilet area has access to a sink with a limited supply of cold water. Occasional access to warden’s shower room and washing machine can be arranged.
“There is no heating or electricity in the bell tent or compost toilet. Low energy equipment can be charged in a shed near Jetty Cottage, as and when there is sufficient electricity. Limited access to WiFi can be arranged.”
The application has an April 14 deadline and interviews beginning on April 16. After the first round of video interviews, there will be inperson interviews on April 29 and 30 on the island itself.
The post will then run from May 17 until mid September. To find out more, go to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust website.