Volunteering Days at Nibbles – Help Us Improve the Centre
Why We’re Launching Volunteering Days at Nibbles
Over the past year, Nibbles has faced one of its most challenging periods. When funding was at serious risk, all time and energy had to be focused on what mattered most — caring for the rabbits and keeping the rescue going.
During this time, essential repairs, maintenance and improvements were put on hold. Not because they weren’t needed, but because survival had to come first.
As a result, the centre now looks tired in places, and the wear and tear of winter has made some long-standing jobs more urgent. Shelters need repairing and weatherproofing, fencing needs attention, and practical improvements are needed to keep spaces safe and functional.
Now that Nibbles is on steadier ground, it’s time to care for the centre itself — so it can continue providing the high-welfare environment every rabbit deserves.
Our volunteering days bring the community together to tackle these essential jobs, strengthen the centre, and help build a brighter future for Nibbles and the rabbits who rely on us.
What Happens Without Volunteer Support
Running a rescue centre means that animal care always comes first — cleaning, feeding, medical care, enrichment, and welfare work fill every day.
Alongside this, there’s admin, fundraising, advocacy, and planning for future projects like improved sanctuary housing and wider welfare work. This leaves very little time to take on large maintenance and repair jobs, even when they’re urgently needed.
Without volunteer help, these essential improvements can only be done slowly, in small gaps between everything else. Projects that could take a day with a group of helpers can stretch into months.
This also directly affects how many rabbits we’re able to support. When time has to be diverted into major repairs and maintenance, it limits our capacity to take in more rabbits — simply because there aren’t enough hours in the day to do both alone.
It doesn’t just impact how the centre looks — it affects how quickly we can improve spaces, maintain high welfare standards, and move forward with the work that helps rabbits both at Nibbles and beyond.
The Difference Volunteers Make
When people come together to help, everything changes.
With a team of volunteers, essential repairs and improvements can be completed in days rather than months. Spaces can be made safer, stronger and more functional much more quickly — creating a better environment for the rabbits who live here now, and for those who will need us in the future.
Volunteer support doesn’t just improve the centre itself. It frees up time for vital animal care, for expanding capacity as repairs are completed, and for moving forward with projects like improved sanctuary housing and wider welfare work.
In practical terms, every volunteering day helps us:
-
create safer, higher-welfare spaces for rabbits
-
complete urgent maintenance faster
-
increase the number of rabbits we’re able to support
-
focus more time on care, advocacy and long-term improvements
Your time and effort will have a direct, lasting impact — not just on the centre, but on the lives of the rabbits who rely on it.
Together, many hands can achieve what simply isn’t possible alone.
What We’ll Be Working On
Below are some of the main projects our volunteering days will focus on. Each one plays an important role in keeping the centre safe, functional and fit for the rabbits who live here.
🧱 Levelling Paving Walkways
Why it’s needed: Our healthy mole population disturbs the ground each year, causing paving to shift and become uneven. Levelling the walkways makes paths safer, easier to clean, and more practical all year round.
What’s involved: Lifting paving slabs, moving sand in wheelbarrows, levelling ground, and relaying slabs.
Skills: No specialist experience needed — we’ll show you what to do.
Physical considerations: Very physical work with lots of bending, lifting and moving heavy materials. Not ideal for anyone with back or joint issues.
🪵 Adding Feather Edge Timber to Enclosure Walls
Why it’s needed: Refreshing and strengthening exterior enclosure walls improves weather protection and keeps spaces looking smart and secure.
What’s involved: Cutting timber to size, painting boards, measuring and fixing them to enclosure walls, and adding supports where needed.
Skills: Some DIY experience helpful — including using an electric drill, measuring accurately, keeping things level, and basic sawing.
Physical considerations: Moderate physical work with standing, bending and some lifting.
🏠 Replacing Roofing on Rabbit Housing
Why it’s needed: Old roofing needs replacing to improve weatherproofing and keep housing dry, safe and long-lasting.
What’s involved: Removing old sheets, cutting and fitting OSB boards, adding new tin roofing sheets, installing additional supports, and securing everything with power tools.
Skills: Good DIY competence required, including confident use of power tools and accurate measuring and fitting.
Physical considerations: Physical work with lifting, reaching and tool use.
🌧 Replacing Rain Covers
Why it’s needed: Rain covers protect housing and enclosures from the elements and need renewing as materials wear over time.
What’s involved: Removing old covers, cutting and fitting new ones, and adding timber supports where needed.
Skills: No specialist experience required, but attention to detail is important to ensure correct sizing and fit.
Physical considerations: Lots of bending and some fiddly, precise work.
🚧 Groundworks & Retaining Areas
.jpg)
Why it’s needed: Some former housing areas need levelling and stabilising to prevent soil movement, reduce mole damage, and create cleaner, tidier, more practical spaces.
What’s involved: Digging, lifting, positioning breeze blocks to form retaining walls, levelling ground, laying paving, and filling gaps with concrete.
Skills: No experience required — we’ll guide you through each step.
Physical considerations: Very physical work involving digging, lifting and repetitive movement.
🔗 Fencing (subject to funding)
Why it’s needed: Replacing existing fencing with chainlink fencing will improve security and durability around the centre.
What’s involved: Setting new posts into the ground, removing old fencing, installing chainlink fencing, and ensuring the site remains secure throughout the process.
Skills: Some practical experience helpful, particularly with measuring, digging post holes, and fitting fencing.
Physical considerations: Hard manual work with lifting, digging and outdoor labour. This project may run over more than one volunteering day.
What a Volunteering Day Is Like at Nibbles
Our volunteering days are designed to be practical, supportive and community-focused — bringing people together to make a real difference for the rabbits and the centre.
When they take place
All volunteering days will be held on Saturdays, with dates announced as they become available. Our aim is to begin as soon as the weather improves in spring, as many of the projects are outdoor jobs. For safety and practicality, days may occasionally be postponed or cancelled if weather conditions aren’t suitable.
Group sizes
To keep projects manageable and safe, most volunteering days will involve up to five volunteers per job, with larger projects such as fencing potentially needing a few extra hands.
Support on the day
You won’t be left to figure things out on your own. Tasks will be explained clearly before starting, volunteers will be matched to suitable jobs based on experience and comfort level, and guidance will be available throughout the day.
Safety first
Each day will begin with a short safety briefing, and some tasks will only be carried out by those with relevant experience — particularly when power tools are involved. There’s never any pressure to take on a job you’re not comfortable with. Volunteers will also be asked to complete a short volunteer agreement form before starting work.
Lunch and breaks provided
A homemade vegan vegetable soup with fresh bread rolls will be provided for lunch, along with hot and cold drinks and a few snacks for a morning coffee break. We’ll pause partway through the day to eat together and recharge.
The atmosphere
While the focus is on getting important work done, volunteering days are also friendly, relaxed and supportive. There’s plenty of teamwork, conversation and community spirit — working hard together while enjoying the day.
What to wear and bring
As the work is practical and outdoors, please come dressed in old clothes suitable for getting messy, with sturdy footwear. We’re unable to provide clothing, so dressing sensibly for physical outdoor work is important.
Location and parking
Nibbles is based in a rural location between Eglwyswrw and Rhoshill and isn’t accessible by public transport. Depending on volunteer numbers, parking may not always be directly onsite and could involve a short walk to the centre. Full parking details will be shared ahead of each volunteering day.
Who these days are for
These days are ideal for people who enjoy practical work, are happy being outdoors, and would love to use their time in a meaningful way to help animals and support a rescue making real change. Some tasks suit beginners, while others need DIY experience — there’s a role for many different skill levels.
Due to the nature of the work involved, and for safety and insurance reasons, we’re unable to accept volunteers under the age of 18 for these volunteering days.
Join Our Volunteering Days
If you’d like to be part of improving the centre and making a real difference for the rabbits who rely on Nibbles, we’d love to hear from you.
By registering your interest, you’ll be added to our dedicated volunteering days mailing list and will receive updates about upcoming dates, projects, and how to get involved. There’s no obligation to attend every session — you can simply choose the days that suit you.
Whether you have DIY experience or are happy to help with hands-on practical work, every extra pair of hands helps us move forward faster and create safer, better spaces for the rabbits in our care.