Eden Project Offers Free Entry for June Volunteering Weekend

Fancy a day out at one of Cornwall’s most famous attractions without paying a penny? The Eden Project is opening its doors for free this June, but only to people willing to get their hands a little dirty.

From Friday 5th June to Monday 8th June, the educational charity is swapping entry fees for hands-on volunteering as part of The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out. Anyone who takes part in a session gets in free.

What you can get involved with

The weekend is built around nature-based activities that are designed to be welcoming and easy to try. Visitors can have a go at pollinator tracking, planting alongside Eden’s horticulture team, pot making and sunflower seed planting, bug house building and kindness card making.

It is also the launch weekend for the first-ever Eden Project Big Flower Count. The new citizen science project invites supporters to photograph flowers blooming in Eden’s outdoor gardens, helping to build a long-term, season-sensitive picture of how climate change and weather patterns may be affecting flowering times each year. It is inspired by David Attenborough and E.O. Wilson’s idea that by noticing and recording the life around us, we can all play a part in protecting it.

A record for the next 25 years

The flower count arrives as Eden marks a milestone. Julie Kendall, Outdoor Horticultural Manager at the Eden Project, said: “As Eden celebrates its 25th anniversary, the launch of our first Big Flower Count is a chance to start building a long-term picture of how our gardens may change over the next 25 years.

“We’ve already noticed some unusual flowering patterns, including our South African daisy, Osteospermum, blooming in April when we would normally expect to see it flower in June. At the moment we can talk about these changes anecdotally, but this project will help us begin creating a valuable record over time.”

Over time, the images and observations collected will help the charity track how seasonal changes, weather patterns and climate change may affect plants across its gardens.

A pasty to say thank you

To celebrate the difference volunteers make, each day will feature a special Big Lunch moment with a Cornish pasty, bringing together visitors, volunteers and staff to share food and get to know one another better.

Lindsey Brummitt, Programme Director at the Eden Project, said: “With millions of people expected to come together across the UK to share food, lend a hand and support their communities, we wanted to do something special at Eden Project too.

“That’s why we’re opening up opportunities for people to get involved over the weekend, including volunteering activities and the launch of our first ever Flower Count.

“Volunteering has a real and positive impact, both for the charities and community organisations working with volunteers, and for the people taking part, whether that’s spending time outdoors, meeting new people or trying something new.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming people to Eden where they can lend a hand and try something new, make new connections and enjoy a pasty together, and hopefully leave feeling inspired to carry on making a difference locally.”

How to book

Places are limited each day, so booking in advance is essential. The sessions are suitable for all ages, with one exception: Friday 5th June is only open to those aged 16 and over. You can reserve a place at edenproject.com/taster.

The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out are teaming up for the first time this year to create a UK-wide weekend of friendship, food, fun and action. Led by the Eden Project, it encourages people to connect with their communities in ways big or small, from neighbourhood gatherings to environmental action.

Eden currently has around 80 active volunteers supporting roles across its Cornwall site, from horticulture and customer-facing positions to buggy driving, work in the Vounder Garden, helping with Little Eden pre-school groups and supporting the Eden Sessions.

For more information about the national campaign, visit thebigdo.com.