APPLICATION INFORMATION
Ashburnham Place

Volunteer Application Information

  
 

What will my room be like?

Volunteers share their rooms with 2 - 4 other people. Usually at least one person
will have been there for longer than you, so can help you find your way around. You
will have a bed (or bunk) and share a wardrobe and set of drawers. Space is limited
to please pack carefully.

What will I do?

You will be expected to be fully involved in the activities of the community. This will
involve you volunteering for 27hrs per week around Ashburnham Place, spending 2-
3 hours per week involved with Prayer and Social Action, attending the Community
and teaching days.

When you first arrive your volunteer team will be chosen for you. After 3-4 months
you will have the opportunity to change your team if you want to. You will also have
two full days free time per week giving you the opportunity to relax or spend time
travelling and sightseeing.

You will be assigned to one of the following activity teams when you arrive:

Catering

Assisting fully trained chefs in the kitchen to prepare and serve meals for guests and
the whole community. You have the opportunity learn basics of food hygiene,
cooking, baking and serving in dining rooms.

House:

You learn basics of housekeeping, laundry, preparing conference rooms and

enabling guests to feel cared for and rested.

Grounds and Gardens:

Caring for the 220 acres of grounds at Ashburnham Place you will be involved in all
aspects of gardening, grounds work, growing fruit and vegetables in the kitchen
garden and using garden machinery.

Maintenance:

Repairs and maintenance of the house and accommodation. You will learn basics of
painting, decorating and general repairs.

Welcome and bookings:

  
 

You will be the front line of the organisation, friendly and welcoming to guests
arriving. Learning aspects of bookings for guests and administration, computer skills
and communication. It is a great place to use and improve your English skills.

Orangery Tea Room:

A local treasure, the Orangery Tea Room houses the oldest Camellias in the
country, you will be a welcoming face serving and preparing fresh food and great
coffee for guests and the general public.

What about the Teaching Days

You will attend one half day each week to study the bible and learn about different
areas of Christian lifestyle.

Each term is about 10 weeks long and covers the following topics:

Prayer and intersession, Creativity in the kingdom of God, Justice and mission,
Hearing God, Life coaching and Finding your gifts, Theology and Apologetics,
Personal identity, Relationships, Mind, body and spirit, Community, Kingdom of God
in society and Spiritual discipline.

Other optional courses and teaching may also be available details will be given soon
after your arrival.

What are the Community Values?

The Community Values are a guide to help us know what is expected of us as

members of this community.

1) LOVE - we will seek to love God, one another and all guests in word and deed,
using 1Corinthians 13 as our example.

2) HONESTY - we will seek to be honest and open in our relationships and

community life, sharing with one another in struggles and in joys (Romans 12:15-16)

3) JOY - we recognise the need for laughter and fun to be a part of our shared
community life. In such we will find resource and lightness.

'The joy of The Lord will be our strength" (Nehemiah 8:10)

4) FAITH - we will seek to be a community that is confident that the things we hope
for will actually happen (Hebrews 11)

5) GENEROSITY - we will be generous in our treatment of each other and in our

service of guests. (2 Corinthians 9:6-15)
  
 

6) THANKFULNESS - we will be thankful for all the Lord has given us. We will not
take for granted what the Lord has provided. We will start and end each day with
gratitude. (Colossians 2:7)

Keeping in touch

All volunteers have free wireless internet access that is intermittent and sometimes
very slow due to our rural location. If you have a laptop, you may wish to bring it but
you may wish think about insuring it.

There is a telephone available for you to use in an emergency only.

Letters and parcels should be sent to our postal address clearly marked with your
name.

Can I go home for a visit while I am in Ashburnham Place?

While you are here at Ashburnham, you will get holidays that you can use however
you choose! The number of holidays depends on how long you stay at Ashburnham.
If you are only here for the summer, you will get 2 days; if you come for 6 months
you will get 6 days and for one year you will get 12.

However, we recommend that you do not plan all your holidays before you arrive as
many of the volunteers choose to travel together either around the UK or further into
Europe.

Can my family come and visit me in Ashburnham?

Yes, it is possible for you to have visitors while you are here. It will cost £25.00 per
person per night, including all meals. (£15.00 for children/students)

You need to check with the bookings department before making plans to check we
have rooms available as there are times when we are very busy and fully booked. It
is not possible for family members to stay in your room.

How will my English improve?

Your English will improve with constant use and through your own study. You will be
required to attend an English class once a week for one hour to help with this. When
you arrive you will take an English assessment test to place you in the right class.
  
 

If you are interested in taking the Cambridge exam we can arrange this for you but
you will have to pay and study by yourself in your own time. Apart from that your
English will improve depending on how much you use it and how much you study in
your own time. It depends on you!

What if I cannot come?

Please let us know immediately if there is any problem with you coming, whether it is
financial, a change in circumstances or whether you just change your mind. It is
important that we know as soon as possible so that your place may not be lost.

Relationships

Ashburnham Place does not allow exclusive or romantic relationships due to the
negative effect this may have on the community. We believe your time here should
be spent living, serving and seeking God in the context of community.

If you do develop feelings for another person during your time with us please speak
with us, we would be happy to support and pray with you.

Community Gatherings

We have times when the whole community gathers, you must attend these times.

Monday Prayers: A time of worship, praying for guests, communion and team
notices

Sunday Evening Celebration: Worship and teaching

Monthly Volunteer Meetings: All volunteers communication meeting

Tuesday House meetings: Practical household related issues, information and

prayer meeting

Healthcare
  
 

Do I need any kind of insurance?

You need to check before you travel whether your insurance will cover you while you
are abroad. It is different for each country and insurance company.

If you are an EU citizen, you will be covered by the National Health Service of this
country for medical care, but not for dental treatment. You will need an E111 (or
equivalent) form. Volunteers from a country requiring a visa will not be covered.

If you want travel insurance or personal belongings insurance, you need to arrange
this in your own country before you travel.

Please understand that Ashburnham Place cannot take any responsibility for any
loss of property or costs relating to health care.

What happens if I am ill?

We hope this will not happen but inevitably it may. We have some basic medication
here for colds and flus, but if you prefer medication from your own country then it is
best to bring them with you.

If you have any medical condition, or you are on medication, you should ask your
doctor for sufficient medication for the duration of your stay. It may not be possible
to get exactly the same medication here.

What about dental care?

Please have your teeth checked before you come to Ashburnham Place. Dental care
in the UK is very expensive. One examination can cost between £70-150 before any
treatment is undertaken!
  
 

VISA APPLICATION PROCES

We are not able to take volunteers on a tourist visa.

Unless you are a citizen of the European Union, hold a British or EU passport, you
must obtain a Tier 5 Visa before you book your flight and make travel arrangements.

The visa application process can take a long time and you should contact the
Embassy NOW to find out exactly what the process is and what you need to do in
preparation. The process may take several weeks or even months. You will need to
complete forms and possibly attend an interview. You can expect to pay a charge.
Visas are very expensive.

Please email the Ashburnham office once you have contacted the Embassy and
know what you need to have ready. You must send us the following information;

• your full name as written on your passport

• the place (town) of your birth

• your passport number

• the place (town) where the passport was issued

• the date your passport was issued

• the expiry date of your passport.

We will then apply for a unique personal registration number (we are limited in the
number we can apply for and each one costs us a significant amount of money, so
we cannot afford to make a mistake). We will then send this number to you which
you will need to complete your application for a visa.

You cannot get your visa without this unique number. This will be sent by post,
together with your official invitation letter and may take several weeks to arrive.

If you are called for an interview, you will probably be asked a number of questions
about Ashburnham Place and what you will do here. You must be honest in your
answers.

Here are some facts to help you:

• Ashburnham Christian Trust is a residential international community

which runs a conference and prayer centre where churches and groups
of people come for teaching, prayer and rest.

• The community is made up of people from around the world and has
permanent staff of about 30 and a further 48 young people who come
as volunteers from many nations.
  
 

• The international staff are committed to training volunteers in all

aspects of the Trust’s activities through hospitality and service,
Christian discipleship training, English language classes (where
appropriate) and leadership training.

• Ashburnham Christian Trust is responsible for all food and lodging.

• Ashburnham Christian Trust gives volunteers £20 per week pocket

money for personal expenses such as toiletries and leisure activities.

• If asked Ashburnham Place is an ‘A rated’ sponsor with the UKBA.

Potential difficulties

1. Finances – The British government will not support you financially while you
are in the UK. Please make sure that you can prove that you have enough
money to pay for a return ticket. You will also need to make it clear, in your
interview, that you will not claim any money from any UK authorities while you
are at Ashburnham Place.

2. Return to your country – Some people may try to misuse the volunteer visa
to enter the UK and do not leave after their time has finished. Be clear of your
plans on return.

3. Work – You must make clear that you are not coming to work in this country.
You are coming to Ashburnham Place to be part of a Community Life Training
Programme and as part of that you will be volunteering in the Trust’s day to
day activities. You are not coming for employment and you will not be paid a
wage.

If the Embassy does not grant you a visa, their decision is final and Ashburnham
Christian Trust is unable to appeal on your behalf.

Contact us as soon as you know whether you have received your visa.

And remember, we will be praying for you!