We’re looking for paid Cultivators to join us on our canalside growing site – Common Field. Common Field is a stretch of land adopted from the Canal and Rivers Trust in 2021, set in the centre of Birmingham’s post-industrial landscape, alongside the Digbeth Branch canal.
The cultivators meet weekly at 10.30am every Friday morning at Grand Union before heading down to the canalside together. The group works until 1.30pm, before returning to Grand Union for a shared lunch. Cultivators will be paid £60 per/session.
Cultivator work includes (but is not limited to):
- Managing compost piles and adding/mixing new materials
- Planting and nurturing new and existing plants along the canalside
- Removing invasive species plants
- Collecting litter and removing waste from the site
- Building insect, bird and mammal habitats
- Floating Garden maintenance
- Engaging members of the public about the work of Grand Union
Sessions will run from July 24 until September 2026, and each session has space for three cultivators.
We would love a wide range of people to join us for sessions; no specific experience or skills are required, just enthusiasm and interest in the work.
How to Apply:
To sign up as a cultivator please email beth@grand-union.org.uk with a brief outline of your interest in the work (approx. 150-300 words or a link to a portfolio/website) and your availability by July 20 to be eligible for all of the sessions. However, we will accept rolling submissions through to September so people can join at any time.
We don’t want the application to be a barrier so if there are alternative ways you would like to express your interest, please let us know.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this opportunity further, please get in touch with us via email at beth@grand-union.org.uk or phone on 0121 643 9079
Access:
Cultivators will be asked to partake in physical activity as described above, and activity will primarily take place outside regardless of weather conditions. The Common Field site is a public space and has sections of uneven and steep ground. There is no permanent seating available, but folding chairs can be brought down to the site where needed. Cultivators are encouraged to take breaks whenever needed throughout the sessions.
Lunch will be provided after each session, please let us know if you have any allergies or dietary requirements in your initial email.
We are committed to making this opportunity as accessible as possible, therefore if you have any questions or would like to discuss your access requirements with us, please contact us at beth@grand-union.org.uk or call us on 0121 643 9079.
