Frequently asked questions
Q. What is WWOOF?
WWOOF UK holds a list of organic farms, gardens and smallholdings, all offering food and accommodation in exchange for practical help on their land. WWOOF is an exchange – you volunteer your help in exchange for food, accommodation and an opportunity to learn about organic agriculture. As a WWOOFer, you can expect to work about 5-6 hours per day 5 days a week, or a combination of hours/days to suit your host and yourself not totalling more than 30 hours per week. In order to volunteer on WWOOF host farms in the UK you must become a member of WWOOF UK. Membership lasts for 1 year.
Q. How can I get an idea of what the hosts are like before I pay my membership fee?
The host farms are available for preview (minus contact details) here http://www.wwoof.org.uk/civicrm/profile?reset=1&gid=12
Full contact details of the hosts are only available to members of WWOOF UK. Once your WWOOF UK application has been processed you will be able to view full contact details of all hosts, either in the printed book (book membership) or the members section of the website (online membership).
Q. How do I join online? (plus payment options)
To join WWOOF UK: from the main web page at www.wwoof.org.uk click 'join as a WWOOFer' in the green box on the right hand side. Then select one of the green words:
Online - single £20
Online - joint £30
Book - single £20
Book - joint £30
depending on the type of membership you want. You should then be guided through the rest of the process. You can pay by Paypal, credit or debit card (if you want to pay by card go as normal through to the payment screen at the end, and look for the instructions towards the bottom left there).
Q: Where can I find my membership / WWOOF ID number?
Your membership / WWOOF ID number will be listed towards the bottom of either the 'receipt' or 'invoice' email you get when you join WWOOF UK. You can also find it by logging in and selecting 'my account' on the left-hand side of the screen. You will need to quote this number to hosts, who have the ability to check if your membership number is valid and current.
Q : Once I am a member of a WWOOF UK, can I use my membership all over the world?
Membership of WWOOF UK enables you to volunteer with hosts in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland only.
There are WWOOF national organisations in many other countries. For example, joining WWOOF Portugal allows you to wwoof in Portugal. There is currently no international membership - you must join the national WWOOF organisation in each country where you want to wwoof. The membership fees are small and cover the cost of running each service. See http://www.wwoof.org/national.asp
For countries where no national organisation exists, host lists are compiled by WWOOF Independents and WWOOF Australia -
http://www.wwoof.org/newsite08/
Q. If I am a book member will I also be able to see the host list online?
No, your membership subscription entitles you either to online membership or book membership. If you want to have both, you will need to send a short note explaining what you want, your contact details and a cheque for £10 to WWOOF UK main office (see our address on the Contact page).
Q : I am a non-native English speaker and I would would like to improve my language skills during my stay. Is this OK?
Many hosts are very happy to take foreign WWOOFers and help them with their English. Please remember though that you will still need to have a genuine enthusiasm for taking part in organic farming during your stay with your host. It may be that you would like to join an English course while you are volunteering in the UK. This is possible, but only by prior negotiation and agreement with your host. N.B. WWOOF should not be thought of as a simple way to gain a placement to complete a college course you have been studying in your own country.
Q : What does my membership entitle me to?
Your annual membership entitles you to receive either the printed UK host book or a password for online membership. Both lists include all WWOOF hosts in the UK with full contact details, although the online version is updated much more regularly (you will only receive one printed book per year). With this list you can make your own arrangements to wwoof directly with hosts. If you live in the UK, you will also receive four quarterly newsletters which are sent through the post. We will not automatically send you any newsletters if your postal address is outside the UK, due to the high cost of postage. We will happily send them to you if you contact us to request them and pay a supplement upfront.
Q. How long does it take to become a member?
If you join as an online member, you should be sent your membership information and password within minutes by email (check your junk/spam folder if you do not receive them, or see our 'help with your account' pages). You will then receive your membership card within two or three weeks.
If you join as a book member you should expect to recieve your book and membership card within two or three weeks.
Q. Can I come to your office and pick up a book?
This is not possible. You must make an application for membership either online or by post. WWOOF UK operates a membership application process rather than just selling books or information online.
Q. How long can I go WWOOFing for?
It is up to you and the host to decide what suits you both best. WWOOF stays can vary from a weekend to a long-term stay lasting months.
Q. Are there any age restrictions?
You must be at least 18 years old to join WWOOF UK and to WWOOF without the presence of a parent/guardian. This is for insurance reasons. If you are under 18 and accompanied by your parent/s or a guardian that is fine, because they are the WWOOF member and you are their dependant.
Q. Will I be able to find a host to WWOOF with in the colder months? (November, December, January)?
Although there are fewer hosts needing help at this time of year, there are several still listed as accepting WWOOFers in the colder months.
Q : How do I join WWOOF UK?
Join WWOOF UK online by filling in an application form and paying with a credit or debit card here:
http://www.wwoof.org.uk/join_wwoof
If you choose to join, but not use a credit or debit card, you can pay in the following ways:
Paying by Bank Cheque :
Do you have a bank account with a British Bank?
If YES you can send a cheque in Pounds Sterling made out to "WWOOF".
If NO, do NOT send us a cheque - cheques drawn on banks other than a British bank involve expensive bank charges and we cannot accept them. They will be returned to you and your membership will be delayed. We cannot accept cheques in Euros or Eurocheques.
Paying in Cash :
Our experience over the last five years is that sending cash carefully is not a problem. If a letter gets lost, it is because the postal service sometimes loses post, NOT because it contains cash.
To send cash carefully, send only notes in pounds sterling - do not send coins or other currencies. Wrap the notes in aluminium foil - this helps prevent detection and theft. We can also accept an International Money Order, obtainable from some main Post Offices in some countries, but it must be made out in UK Pounds Sterling, not your own currency.
Q. What is joint membership?
Joint membership is usually for couples or good friends who want to WWOOF together. One of the partnership can WWOOF on their own, but you cannot both WWOOF at the same time in different places. You will only be supplied with one membership card and one book / one set of membership logon details. The cost is £30.
***NB*** Joint membership does not apply to a lone parent travelling with a child/children. In this case the parent need only buy single membership, as the children are simply their dependants and not WWOOF members.
Q. I want to renew, but as a different type of member from last year (e.g. I was a 'joint' member and now I want to be a 'single' member)
This is easy to do, although there is no link from the main page. Sign in to your account (this bit is very important - you must be signed in) then click this link http://www.wwoof.org.uk/join_wwoof It will take you to the normal sign-up page, but the fact you are logged in will mean the new membership will be associated with your personal account rather than creating a new one
Q. How do I apply to be a host?
You can apply online or download and print an application form here: http://www.wwoof.org.uk/join_as_host
Q. I have a press enquiry
The WWOOF UK team have recently been joined by a dedicated Development Worker who will deal with press enquiries. Her name is Kath Hallewell and she can be reached either by emailing kath.hallewell@wwoof.org or calling 01453 752577. You may also find some find some useful resources here:
http://www.wwoof.org/wwindynews/wwindymedia/index.htm
Q : Can you help me find a job and get a work permit / visa?
WWOOF is not about paid working. Therefore WWOOF organisations and hosts CANNOT help you obtain visas, work permits or letters of recommendation. It is up to you to find out what you have to do in order to enter the UK for your visit / travels.
Q: Are there any issues with immigration into the UK to WWOOF?
Since recent changes to immigration rules, the situation has become confused regarding non-EEA nationals who wish to enter the UK as general visitors (tourists) in order to WWOOF. You are strongly advised not to leave your country without being sure you have the right to enter the UK.
If you are from outside the European Economic Area, please read the information here:
http://www.wwoof.org.uk/visas_and_immigration
More information can also be found in the WWOOF section of the Low-impact Living Initiative (LILI) forum http://www.lowimpact.org/forums/
Q : Do I need to have insurance?
You are responsible for your own safety. Check you have insurance that covers medical care including transportation home, accidents, and loss of property. You should also be covered against you injuring other people or losing or breaking other peoples' property. Make sure your insurer knows that you will be a volunteer on a farm.
In the UK we have something called E-111 form that you can pick up from Post Offices and it covers you needing state medical care in any country in the EU. There may be something similar available in other countries. If you live in Europe you may also want to check out a company called OvEuropa - www.oveuropa.com OvEuropa is a registered non-profit association which provides it's members with a third party liability and personal accident, injury and illness insurance suited to volunteer work.
The cost of joining OvEuropa is 25.00 Euros for one year, including the insurance premium. The association has been formed to respond to the need for a suitable insurance at a low cost for WWOOFers whilst staying on WWOOF host farms. The association can also provide information regarding visas, permits, health and medical care requirements within Europe.
Q : How much ahead of traveling should I begin contacting hosts?
We suggest allowing a month between writing to a host and receiving a reply. If you're emailing, make sure you include the word WWOOF in the subject heading.
Q : Can I take my children?
It is best that you contact the host directly and ask them, as some hosts are very happy to have children around and others are not. Once you join up online you can search specifically on this field, to filter out all the hosts that will not accept children by arrangement.
Q. How long does it take roughly to place me?
We do NOT place you - you place yourself. Once you have a WWOOF Host list for the country you want to WWOOF in, it is up to YOU to contact the farms. How long they take to reply depends on them. We suggest that you don’t try to arrange things ‘last minute’ because hosts are very busy people and may take a while to respond to your enquiry. Always include the word WWOOF in the subject heading of your emails.
Q. Can I take my dog?
Only with the host's permission.
Q. Can I give you feedback?
Yes, please be assured that we consider all feedback from volunteers and hosts. We may not have time to respond to each email, but we are very grateful for all comments as they help us improve our service to you.
Q. What happens if things go wrong?
The WWOOF system is based on trust. It is impossible for us to verify every new person that joins the organisation. However if you have a complaint to make about a WWOOFer or a host, WWOOF UK main office does have a complaints procedure in place. Contact us at info@wwoof.org.uk
Q. Do I get the usual rights of cancellation when buying a WWOOF membership?
Under the Distance Selling Regulations 2000 (DSR), consumers buying via the internet have the right to a 'cooling off' period of seven working days following the purchase of an item. However, due to the nature of the WWOOF product, the consumer agrees to waive this cancellation right by paying the required WWOOF membership fee. In other words, once you have bought a WWOOF UK membership, we are not required to give you a refund if you change your mind. This is in line with UK Trading Standards.