Volunteer
A great day out!
Every little helps
We have an invaluable group of volunteers of all ages - the Scottish Seabird Centre would be lost without them! There are a range of ages and abilities; some volunteer once a month and some a few hours a week. No matter how much time you have to offer, or what you would like to do, we’d love to hear from you.
Our volunteers meet visitors to the Centre, fundraise and much more. It’s very enjoyable, a great way to meet people and provides vital support to the Centre.
Mary Tebble is an extraordinary volunteer who embarked on an unusal adventure in 2011 to raise money for the Centre. Read all about her Wild Flower Hunt, plus even more findings in 2012.
See below for an update from Sandy, the Chair of the Volunteer, from our last members' magazine - this will give you a flavour for the kind of things they get up to!
Our update!
Whilst writing this report for the magazine, I am busy preparing paperwork for my team of officials in the Photofinish cabin in the Athletics Stadium of the London Olympics. We have been thinking about and working towards this fortnight for the last 2 years, since the list of selected officials was announced.
It is quite amazing to realise that by the time you read this, the Olympics and Paralympics will be over and forgotten!!
I have been greatly honoured to be appointed Chief Photofinish Judge for the Athletics, and am very much looking forward to supervising my team (which includes my husband Mike!) towards producing the results of all the track races in the Stadium. A particular excitement of course will be the Men’s 100m – will Usain Bolt win again? Will a newcomer burst on to the scene and beat all the known “names”? Will the race be run in a new World Record?
By now of course you will know the answers to these questions, life will have returned to normal, and the uniforms will be hung in the wardrobe!!
In the last magazine, the Volunteers were preparing for a spectacular weekend of fundraising events. The programme was ambitious, but was skilfully managed by a team led by Pat Coxhead. The East Lothian Yacht Club erected their marquee for us on the Green, and on the Thursday evening we invited the staff of the Centre to join us there for drinks and snacks after closing. The guests fought their way through howling wind and lashing rain to enjoy a friendly and relaxing evening, where staff and Vols put names to faces and got to know each other.
On Friday we hosted a Whisky Tasting evening, with Glenfiddich Malts donated and served by William Grant Gordon staff. After sampling 12, 15 and 18 year old Malts, guests were able to bid for the many outstanding items in the Auction - star items included a miniature bronze replica of Sandy the Seal, a bottle of each of the 3 Whiskies, and a replica of one of the sculpture entries for the Gateway Project.
On the Saturday “A Day On The Bass” saw a programme of illustrated talks given by invited speakers, plus a delicious lunch prepared by the Seabird Centre chef. The theme was of course, the Bass Rock, but talks covered diverse topics such as the geology, the history, the wildlife, the lighthouse and many others. Guests enjoyed a delightful and varied day in spite of the appalling weather which necessitated a move into the Centre Theatre as the marquee was declared a danger zone!
Sunday was a more relaxed event with Midsummer Music taking the stage. Numbers in the audience were smaller than expected, as it had been hoped that visitors would hear the music and drop in. Unfortunately a monsoon shower as the event started sent outside visitors running for cover and they did not return! However, a quality event was greatly enjoyed by those present.
The final event of 2012 for the Vols will be the Christmas Coffee Morning on Saturday 8 December 10am – 12pm in the Hope Rooms. We hope to see many of you there, buying raffle tickets, home baking and potential gifts as well as drinking coffee/tea whilst chatting to friends.
We do need to keep making money as this year we have donated around £8,400 to the Centre to fund special projects. If we want to continue doing this then we need to replenish our bank balance. Please support our events when you can, or come and join us and get involved – it is good fun!!
Sandy Forrest, Chair of Volunteers Scottish Seabird Centre.
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