You know those kind of jobs you do when you’re backpacking around the world like farming and fruit picking. Or the kind of jobs that people come all the way from eastern Europe to do over here.

Has anyone ever done anything like that here or have any advice on how to find something? Ideally with accommodation or at least somewhere to sleep in my van. There’s loads of websites listing farming and labouring jobs but how do you know what you’re getting into? Don’t want to end up in a chainsaw massacre situation.

I’m not desperate (yet) but I’m at a loose end. In and out of crap temporary jobs and kind of semi homeless. I’m willing to go anywhere in the UK and do back breaking physical labour for money.

I’m willing to do pretty much anything to get out of the rut I’m in.

not quite right time of year, but there are things like seasonal bar and caravan park work. i live near a bunch and there are always adverts up.

i’ve got a mate who’s living a caravan on the doorstep of a south west surfing resort, he’s doing site/grounds maintenance to earn the roof/food/beer and spending the rest of his time surfing (and knowing him chasing all the ladies local, and visiting too..)

Having just spent 18 months doing this sort of work around Australia it is interesting how seemingly difficult it is to find it here at home, I managed a whole 2 days of unemploynent in Aus.

I did everything from fruit picking/pruning, general farm hand, labourer, event work, marquee erector (you heard), cleaner, waiter etc etc.

Be different, join the Foreign Legion.

Do your time, come out with two passports with different names stamped on them, tell all your mates that you used to be Jason Bourne.

TNT Magazine always used to be a good one. Courier job and ski resort job sorted quick sharp through the small ads.

Looks a bit more modern these days: http://www.tntjobs.co.uk/jobs

House sitting?

i’ve got a mate who’s living a caravan on the doorstep of a south west surfing resort, he’s doing site/grounds maintenance to earn the roof/food/beer and spending the rest of his time surfing

Sounds amazing. My woman chasing skills are incredibly rusty though, I might leave that to the pro’s.

Having just spent 18 months doing this sort of work around Australia it is interesting how seemingly difficult it is to find it here at home

Maybe that’s my mistake. I should go to Oz or NZ.

TNT Magazine always used to be a good one

I’ll keep an eye on it, cheers.

House sitting?

Is that an actual job? That’s what I’ve been doing this week for a friend of the family to look after their dog. So nice to have a big empty house to myself.

I’m working this weekend but come Monday I’m not sure where I’ll be.

Maybe that’s my mistake. I should go to Oz or NZ.

Prior to Australia I spent a year in New Zealand working.

Honestly, if you suit the visa requirements and have nothing else holding you back. Save/sell stuff to fund the flights and go.

I did tomato picking in West Sussex. Just joined a local agency and asked what they had. As many free tomatoes as you can carry too!

Local crewing companies for events & gigs. We use Crewsaders or Pinnacle, but also look at Stage Miracles, Gallowglass, Showforce etc.

You’ll need a solid work ethic and a strong back, mind, but it can be a good craic if you can hack the pace. Don’t think pay is too bad. There’s certainly plenty of aussies, kiwis, saffas who do it longish term.

It’s probably that due to the strict governance in the UK that most employers use agencies and/or you need ‘connections’?

Down on the south coast here there are loads of horticulture places and pick your own with gangs working on them. I bet if you went knocking you could get some work.

Do you have any skills to sell? A I f door knocking and odd work?

yup what JonEdwards said, crewing companies are a safe bet, about to begin silly season from September so all will be looking for people. I work for silverback in manchester but have also heard good things about crusaders. in london both pay london living wage i think

I’m sorry, but “British” people aren’t allowed to want to do that sort of thing, it’s what immigrants are for!

30 years ago, as a teenager in East Anglia, there was loads of fruit/veg picking work. Plenty of pubs round here want casual staff/waiters.

I think it’s still out there, but you have to actively search it out. I’m convincing my kids that life guarding qualifications and barista skills will mean that they will always have at least part time jobs whenever they want them.

Used to be a foreman with a marquee firm and we would take anyone that would turn up for a second day. Days are long, need to be able to lift your own bodyweight and take a lot of crap until the next new lad turns up.

There’s loads of hops/fruit picking in Kent. Getting towards the end of the harvest but there’ll still be apples for at least a month or so. Try the job centre, a lot of farms advertise there.

Used to be a foreman with a marquee firm and we would take anyone that would turn up for a second day.

I loved that job, we were putting up pretty big ones, i.e 25x100m, sometimes 2 stories)

Absolutely exhausting, especially in 38 degree heat, but I’ve never been stronger.

PJ266 – we had a lad start the season at 18 stone and finish it at 11. We did a lot of traditional marquees for weddings, which means meeting lots of brides sisters, bridesmaids. Also quite a few festivals.

For the OP, quite a few of the lads dovetailed the season with ski seasons. One guy painted boats in Italy over winter.

If it’s more about the rut than the money I completely recommend you join helpX (volunteering, accomodation and meals normally provided) as a first step. Build a brief profile then choose a project/host and enquire. UK or abroad. You can do the whole thing online in the next hr. Speaking from personal experience as I hit rock bottom (mentally and physically) yet chanced into volunteering (before I knew of helpx and work away etc). Can’t speak for everyone but I see many happy (helpx) volunteers learning about where they fit/wish to go next in life. Just having the freedom to try new things and have time to *be* (minus the hell of the grind/rut) is priceless IMO. It completely refreshed my outlook/perspective for the better. Maslow’s hierarchy innit?

I’m sorry, but “British” people aren’t allowed to want to do that sort of thing, it’s what immigrants are for!

If I could find my way into a long term job that paid a living wage I wouldn’t be in this position. People expect you to work as and when it suits them for the lowest sum of money they can legally give you and you’re supposed to be grateful for it. It doesn’t allow any comfort or stability. Most new arrivals probably have much better job prospects than me.

If it’s more about the rut than the money I completely recommend you join helpX (volunteering, accomodation and meals normally provided) as a first step.

Thanks for that. Just signed up for HelpX and Workaway.

If it’s not about the money, there is an organic farm volunteering scheme Wwoof. Also some charities have residential volunteering opportunities, National Trust are one, so do RSPB.

Wish you all the best Sharkattack, very easy to fall into a rut but you’ve already done the hardest bit.

Gumtree. Loads on there

There’s loads of hops/fruit picking in Kent. Getting towards the end of the harvest but there’ll still be apples for at least a month or so

apples easily until after the kids go back to school. coxes well in to september, even october, all picked far too early to go in to cold storage to then be sold at christmas.
call around some local market garden farms rather than the big ones that use agencies and stuff.

you could try a van driver for asda. not much money but regular work
or the season is coming up for masses of immigrants to do alll the warehousing jobs in milton keynes. money can be £9hour, maybe lots of overtime. lots of agencies to hire and fire you.
Accommodation is difficult/expensive but if you have your own van you should be ok