Volunteering at Devil's Dyke and Saddlescombe

Friends of Devil's Dyke (FODD) help look after over 2,000 acres of glorious downland, woodland and farmland at Devil's Dyke, Saddlescombe Farm, Newtimber Hill, Fulking Escarpment, Wolstonbury Hill and Southwick Hill. Without them the Devil's Dyke estate and people's enjoyment of it would be a lot poorer. Here’s how you can help.

Getting your hands dirty

Come rain or shine our conservation volunteers are always in the great outdoors looking after our estate. From having a bonfire to clear scrub in winter to restoring dewponds in summer, there's something for everyone.

Helping in the workshop

Are you good with your hands? Do you relish a challenge or do you just like a bit of tinkering? There are 101 different jobs that need doing in our workshop and around Saddlescombe Farm. From sharpening tools to major projects like restoring old farm machinery, we can keep you busy.

Educating the next generation

Why not join our dedicated team of volunteers who work with local schools? If you are creative and love working outdoors with enthusiastic kids we would love to hear from you. You could help them to read a map, recognise archaeological features, or hunt for bugs. If you're a budding artist, you could become involved in activities such as sketching or working with clay. 

Research

Are you looking for a project for your degree or do you have a fascination for farming history? If so we may well have something for you.  From surveying plants to trawling through historical documents or cataloguing artefacts, there's a wealth of information we need collecting. You might even have your own idea for a project.

Looking after our animals

At Devil’s Dyke we don’t own any stock but work closely with our tenant farmers and graziers to help make sure their animals are well cared for.  We run a simple 'lookering' system: checking fences, water troughs and gates, and making sure the animals all still have four legs and two eyes.