FANCY YOURSELF AS...
STEADING, HUT + HOUSE-KEEPER and ALL ROUND GUARDSWELLIE
WHAT IS GUARDSWELL…?
Guardswell Farm, based between Kinnaird and Abernyte in Perthshire (PH149QZ), is a hilltop farm shared with those who want to step away from hustle and bustle, and throw themselves into a life a little slower, and a little cheerier. We love relaxed and fun events and weddings- packed full of family and friends, old vases filled with contorted branches, plates piled high with locally grown food and munching on midnight pizza from the wood oven.
We have accommodation to suit the modern world escapee- 3 huts and 3 houses (sleeping 30 in total)- perfect for those who fancy themselves running a micro-farm, switching off from their digital dependence and taking a deep breath of Perthshire air.
We are a small, young and excited team, who are really looking forward to welcoming new team members, and about the future of Guardswell.
WHERE DOES GUARDSWELL WANT TO GO…?
We are so bursting with ideas, and at a point where we need some brilliant new souls and brains to take it that step further. We want to have monthly suppers supporting local producers, brunches, inspiring speakers, hands on outdoor workshops and cosy craft courses.
We want to invite urban and rural school children to enjoy the farm and reconnect with nature, we want to grow more of our own food, raise more of our own livestock and focus more heavily on how we care for the soil, the farm and the flora and fauna within that.
WHAT IS THE JOB… ?
We are looking for a housekeeper/general helper (Guardswellie) who can help us keep the Huts, Houses and Steading shipshape, and LOVES keeping places looking awesome. Someone who has a mad desire to organise, to put things back into their “place” and spots the most minuscule little smudges on skirting boards.
We have quite a mix of different buildings at Guardswell- all with slightly different requirements. The Steading has large expanses of space, lovely clean white walls alongside dusty stone walls, and we love to have big parties in there (although we are always surprised by how clean it is afterwards- touch wood). We have a mixture of Houses and Huts on the farm- that are let out during events, but mainly to people who just want to escape their busy mad lives, have a digital free few days, and watch the world go by. Our accommodation is scattered over the farm, and some of it is off-grid, so we’ve found some pretty inventive ways of keeping the huts and houses spotless.
We only use eco-cleaning products- so no nasty hacks or rashes on your hands!
BUT WHO ARE YOU…?
You really do care about the little details, and naturally sway towards being a pretty tidy and organised person yourself in your own life. But you also love the outdoors, you want a job thats a little bit varied- and you are also pretty physically active (one of our huts is up a hill), and mopping the Cattle Court is an upper body workout in itself (no need to pay for a gym membership).
You love being part of a team- and can hopefully get involved in our general shenanigans. We’re a wee team so you will need to be a bit of an all rounder too- we all muck in where needed- with setting up wedding furniture or when the Hebridean sheep need moved to a different field. Our small team also takes it in turns to cover for each other when we take days off or holidays- which means you’ll likely have to learn how to check someone in to a hut, or help with an event every now and then.
However, you are also happy to work independently and with responsibility. The Steading, Huts + Houses will be your babies- and they need to stay top of their game.
We have recently added breakfast baskets and other add ons to our stays, and so now we also need a few extra hands to help with that and also with the tidy up afterwards.
WHAT ELSE MIGHT YOU LIKE…?
You love animals (our dogs are in the office), and don’t mind getting a bit mucky sometimes (donkeys occasionally escape, hands get dirty)- but you ensure that its spotless after the muck.
RESPONSIBILITIES (OR SOME OF THEM ANYWAY)…
- Accommodation change overs- 3 huts and 3 houses. Our huts are a little more spread out around the farm- and involve a bit of walking. Some beds are on mezzanines and involve some yoga style contortions to make them. To the absolute highest of standards.
- Cleaning of Steading- to the highest possible standard.
- Cleaning of the Guardswell Office space, and rota-d cleans between all team members of shared team spaces.
- Deep cleans when required (storage, office spaces etc)
- Looking after cleaning equipment
You will work directly with our Head of Huts + Houses, our Steading + events Managers and Digby, Head of Farm Operations, who will all work on creating a rota that works well for you as well as Guardswell. There will be some weekend hours, and we endeavour to not have too many evenings, with change overs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 11am-4pm. We already have a wonderful full time housekeeper and are keen to build a brilliant team of part time housekeepers who muck in when things are busy.
WHEN?
We think this role will be a minimum of 12 hours per week, with busier weeks being up to 32hrs. But we are keen to find a couple of individuals, so if less hours works for you, we could perhaps find a few more folk. We are very open to discussing the sort of hours that work for you.
REQUIREMENTS?
- Must be relatively local to Guardswell- we think a maximum of 30minutes
- Be up for a housekeeping adventure- we might train you to drive an offroad buggy.
- Driving license and own car essential- and bike if you live a little closer
- Some housekeeping experience would be awesome
- A keen eye for detail- and passionate about going the extra mile
- You must be super friendly, and keen to be part of the team as a wholeas you will come in contact with guests- so we want you to love Guardswell as much as we do.
- References welcomed.
Reckon you fancy being part of Team Guardswell…? If so, please send something (a diagram, a video, a CV, maybe even a poem- whatever you feel will show us who you are) to...
hello@guardswell.co.uk and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
We are looking for someone to start as soon as possible! Can you help us?
Min 12hrs, hourly position. £12.50 per hour.
Fixed term contract until December 2025, with scope for extension for the right individual.
Head on over to our website www.guardswell.co.uk, or our Instagram account @guardswellfarm to get more of a feel.
Guardswell Farm Kinnaird Inchture Perthshire PH149QZ