Every year, hundreds of people volunteer thousands of hours to support our work, caring for their local environment and championing wildlife. We celebrate a number of these dedicated individuals through our annual Trustees’ Awards for Volunteering.
This year, the awards were announced at our National Members’ Day on Saturday 7 September.
Annelise van Eeden, Young Volunteer
Annelise is the Trust’s Volunteer Ranger on the Isle of Eigg, having previously volunteered on our Falls of Clyde reserve. She had the following to say about her role:
“It is a blessing to be out in the amazing Scottish nature, so that is definitely a benefit for me. I have also really enjoyed connecting with wonderful people in my volunteer team and meeting like-minded people who understand that nature is at the heart of who we are. By helping to restore and protect nature, we feel like we belong.”
Regarding other young people who are seeking a career in conservation, Annelise added:
“I have found that conservation is a hard field to get into. There are many jobs but also many people applying. That being said, I’ve not had a single day where I thought that this isn’t what I want to do. It is an incredibly rewarding field to be in and you can go to bed knowing you gave your best for the environment. If every one person does something small for the environment everyday, the world will see a large-scale improvement. By volunteering, you get to work with great organisations who can help you connect with relevant people who could potentially help you get into the conservation sector. Don’t give up!”
Daisy McDonald, Species Champion
This award celebrates someone who has gone above and beyond for a particular species of group of species. Daisy has done so for both great and arctic skuas during her time on Handa, and has shared her thoughts on the birds, the award and her time on the island.
“My time spent on Handa was unforgettable, not only did I get to work with like-minded people, I got to experience the island’s natural beauty through practical work and my main role on the island, monitoring the great and arctic skua! Monitoring allowed me to experience these wonderful birds from egg to fledging, how vulnerable they start off to how fierce they become.
Skuas are a misunderstood group, not only are they fearless predators, but they are also protective and emotive parents as they dive bomb to defend against intruders; including myself! I hope the stigma and dislike towards these beautiful animals will diminish as the awareness of their ecological importance as predators is brought to light, as well as the turmoil they have suffered due to bird flu.
Receiving this award brings me not only a sense of pride but also accomplishment, knowing the conservation efforts for the great and arctic skuas of Handa are at the forefront of the Trust. I hope to continue monitoring and collecting data for species around the UK, in order to help protect our natural environment.”
Cumbernauld Nature Ninjas, Group Award
Since 2019, the Nature Ninjas have undertaken a wide range of work across Cumbernauld, including planting over 4,000 trees and removing almost 1,000 bags of litter. They operate through the Cumbernauld Living Landscape project, which is a partnership between the Scottish Wildlife Trust, North Lanarkshire Council, The Conservation Volunteers, Sanctuary Scotland and The James Hutton Institute.
We asked a few of them about their time with the project.
“I can’t believe the satisfaction I gained by attacking invasive species in the company of like-minded people and leaders who are keen to share their knowledge. I always come home tired, muddy and happy.” – Lesley
“Volunteering with the Nature Ninjas is important to me as a way of working to improve the natural environment for wildlife and making the local environment better for all to enjoy.” – Christine
“I get a warm glow walking or running areas we cleared in previous years and seeing other people enjoying nature & admiring the native flowers coming back after invasive plants have been removed.” – John
“I’ve worked with talented and knowledgeable project officers and volunteers who are interested in and committed to the same things as me. I’ve learned so much from them all and built new friendships.” – Anne
Finlay Dowell, Lifetime Achievement Award
Finlay has spent 15 years tirelessly working to protect our Garnock Floods reserve in Ayrshire. He has undertaken monthly bird surveys at all times of year, providing the Trust with invaluable information on both breeding and wintering species. This data has been instrumental in guiding reserve management decisions, as well as securing funding that has helped make Garnock Floods such a special place for nature.
As well as the bird surveys, Finlay has been a stalwart in the fight against invasive non-native species. He has almost single-handedly prevented Himalayan Balsam from taking over the reserve, a species that – if left unchecked – can have a devastating impact on native wildlife.
The Trustees’ Awards are supported from players of People’s Postcode Lottery to enable more environmental action and develop volunteers’ skills, knowledge and community connections.
Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “It’s wonderful to celebrate the hard work of all the volunteers who give their time to protect Scotland’s animals and nature. Their commitment inspires us – and future generations to care for our environment. We are delighted that our players raised more than £3.8 million to support these important conservation efforts.”
Congratulations to Annelise, Daisy, Finlay and the Nature Ninjas. We’d also like to say a huge thank you once again to all our volunteers for the amazing work they do.
If you’re interested in volunteering with the Trust, take a look at the opportunities on our website.