Love is in the air: Volunteers at the Eden Project are celebrated with a “Voluntine’s” breakfast

Volunteers at the Eden Project celebrated “Voluntine’s Day” with a special breakfast on February 13, 2026, held as a thank you for their time and support, which is generously donated to the educational charity.

As the Eden project prepares to mark its 25th anniversary, Eden is set to thank more than 600 individuals who have volunteered at the site over the years.

Beginning with the “Voluntine’s Day” breakfast held on the Mediterranean Terrace, which gathered 40 volunteers, past and present, to recognise the vital role they play in bringing Eden to life for hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

Lorraine Tonkin, Head of Volunteering at the Eden Project, said: “Volunteers are the glue that holds our communities together, so it’s wonderful to have the opportunity to thank some of our hard-working volunteers, who all play a part in making Eden what it is.

“The charity sector is facing a widening volunteering crisis- as both a charity and an employer, we acknowledge  that a rising number of employees are missing brilliant opportunities to put time offered by employers to good use, supporting causes they care about and benefiting from different experiences.”

In 2024 alone, more than 140 million hours of potential volunteering time went unused¹.

Lorraine continued: “There is a growing movement towards more flexible volunteering, whether through occasional events, short-term projects or regular commitments. We want to inspire others to consider volunteering and challenge some of the common misconceptions about what volunteering looks like.”

Flexible volunteering at Eden means people can give their time in ways that fit around their lives. Today, 80 regular volunteers support the organisation across a wide range of roles.

Volunteer opportunities include helping with parent and toddler sessions, such as Little Eden and Music in the Med, walking groups that support health and wellbeing, and a range of visitor-facing roles including buggy driving, stewarding and supporting access teams.

Volunteers can engage with their passion supporting nature recovery at Eden – they do so supporting Eden behind the scenes, working alongside the horticulture team in roles such as “Wildflower Warriors” for Eden’s National Wildflower Centre, helping to collect and prepare seed from wildflower meadows across the Eden Project site and Cornwall.

Volunteers also play a key role at major annual events such as the Eden Sessions and the Eden Project Marathon, and one-off filming opportunities, which have included BBC One’s Antiques Roadshow.

Rosie Rickard, one of Eden's longest-serving volunteers, said: "Volunteering at Eden is really enjoyable. Originally, I worked in Guiding and Plant Retail, and for many years in the Horticulture team, and, after retiring in 2014, it just felt natural to stay involved. It's incredibly fulfilling - as well as supporting the Eden team, and in some roles enhancing the visitor experience, you have the opportunity to develop your own skills, interests and learning, make friends and have fun with like-minded people. Even just giving a day here and there makes you feel part of something really special."

Encouraging people UK-wide to get involved in their communities has been at the heart of the Eden Project’s charity mission from the beginning. In 2009, it started The Big Lunch, the UK’s annual celebration for neighbours bringing people together to share friendship, food and fun each year on the first weekend in June.  

In December 2025, Andy Jasper, CEO of the Eden Project, alongside Matt Hyde, Chair of The Big Help Out, hosted His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen for a special volunteering showcase at Windsor Castle, during the  State Visit of the Federal President of Germany. The event celebrated the power and impact of volunteers from more than a dozen charities and announced that The Big Lunch would be joining forces with The Big Help Out in 2026.

Led by charity the Eden Project and made possible with support from the Pears Foundation, UK Government and Co-op, The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out will encourage even more people to take action and do something where they live on 5-8 June.  The weekend is supported by charities from across the UK, including Guide Dogs, RSPCA, Barnardos, RNLI, Citizens Advice, Samaritans and many more.

Lindsey Brummit, Eden Project Programme Director responsible for The Big Lunch said: “There's no better feeling than getting together with others, and making a positive change where you live, so we’re delighted to bring The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out together for one big do – it’s a chance to embrace community spirit in our villages, towns and cities this summer, and join millions of people taking part to meet, eat and lend a hand locally.”

Lorraine added, “Volunteering sits at the heart of Eden’s mission to bring people together and strengthen communities. National initiatives such as The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out aim to make volunteering more accessible and visible to everyone.”

Join the Eden Project's volunteering team to play a part in something special as it celebrates its 25th anniversary. Find out more about volunteering opportunities at www.edenproject.com.