Venue Updates After Storm Eowyn
*Annanhill Golf Course will be closed today 4 February due to adverse weather conditions. An inspection tomorrow morning will determine if the course will reopen.
*Due to water ingress causing a health and safety issue, the Dick Institute will be closed today 4 February.
Most areas of Dean Castle Country Park have reopened. With the exception of the river path at the car park, all paths are now safe and can be used. Some debris in the form of branches and sticks remain so please take extra care across the park.
The Dick Institute gallery will remain closed until further notice due to storm damage. The museum, library and cafe are open as normal.
Volunteering
Our volunteers take part in a wide range of projects here at East Ayrshire Leisure and we are constantly working to develop our Volunteering Programme to provide new opportunities. If you would like to apply for any of these roles, please email EALvolunteering@eastayrshireleisure.com
Coming Soon
Athletics Coaching Volunteers
Download the Volunteer Handbook to find out more about East Ayrshire Leisure, our vision mission and values, what you can expect as a volunteer and what support we’ll give you.
Friends of the Dean
There are various ways that you can become a Friend of Dean Castle Country Park. The Friends of the Dean are people who contribute their time and skills to make Dean Castle Country Park even better. There are opportunities to volunteer outdoors in the Park and inside Dean Castle.
Outdoor Conservation Group
The Outdoor Conservation Group has been running since 2017 and has 12 spaces available on each volunteer session. This informal group meets on the first Tuesday and last Sunday of every month and tackles outdoor nature and maintenance projects in the Country Park. Read more in the Role Summary
Irvine Valley Path Warden Scheme
We're looking for volunteers to join our Path Warden Scheme - to walk, run or cycle our routes in the Irvine Valley at least twice a year and to help us with minor maintenance and with reporting and monitoring bigger issues. The paths we’re looking for help with are generally off road and start or finish in Darvel, Galston and Hurlford. We’ll be doing a training day on Friday 21 July in Irvine Valley to help you get started. And we'll provide all kits so even if you’ve never been on a walk before, you’ll receive everything you need to get you out there. Role summary
Textile Team
Dean Castle’s Textile Team are based in laundry buildings and gatehouse of the castle. They continue to work on the medieval curtains which brought the team together as well as costumes, livery and the recently completed flag to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of Kilmarnock Football Club. Visitors to Dean Castle will see their work on display throughout the Castle, in particular the banners, cushions and armoured horse in the Great Hall. The textile team is fully staffed at the moment but interested volunteers can join a waiting list, read more here
Pollinators Garden Volunteers - Applications Currently Closed
Are you passionate about gardening? Help us care for the newly redesigned pollinators garden at Dean Castle Country Park. This garden was replanted in 2020 as habitat for pollinating insects and as a quiet, pleasant area near our busy playpark. Read more in our Role Summary
Castle Visitor Experience Volunteer - Applications Currently Closed
If you love castles and history, learning new skills and talking to the public, this could be the volunteer role for you. Help us tell the numerous and varied stories of Dean Castle, its inhabitants and first class
museum collections. Read more in our Role Summary.
Castle Kitchen Garden Volunteer - Applications Currently Closed
The Castle’s kitchen garden, has recently been replanted with fruits, flowers and herbs. Volunteers assist our team in keeping the garden looking beautiful for visitors. We currently have all the Kitchen Garden Volunteers that we need but interested volunteers can join a waiting list by emailing EALvolunteering@eastayrshireleisure.com Role Summary.
Friends of Dean Biodiversity Survey Volunteers - Applications Currently Closed
We are carrying out biodiversity surveying throughout the summer to measure the health of the habitats in the Country Park. If you would like to become a Citizen Scientist and brush up on your survey skills, you can learn more in our Role Summary.