Guest blog by Alison McFaul, Visitor Experience Manager, Rathlin West Light Seabird Centre
I’ve been living on the Rathlin for over 20 years and am married to Liam, an islander born and bred. Liam is a fisherman, farmer and many things in-between, as well as the RSPB NI warden, so there isn’t much he doesn’t know about the island and the amazing nature that makes its home here! Liam works on the conservation and reserve management side of things with assistant warden, Sean - his nephew.
My job as the Visitor Experience Manager at the Rathlin West Seabird Centre involves managing a fantastic team to give visitors an amazing experience. Last year more than 17,000 people flocked from all around the world to the Centre so we were kept very busy! It just wouldn’t have been possible without an amazing gang of around 100 volunteers who educated and inspired every visitor.
Volunteering on Rathlin Island is quite an adventure – and that’s just getting here! Unless you’re coming from the island of Ireland, you’ll have to do some flying or ferrying just to get to the harbour town of Ballycastle on the north coast. Then comes the six mile voyage across the ‘Sea of Moyle’ that will introduce you to the wild Atlantic swell that surrounds the island! The short ferry crossing also presents opportunities to spot some wonderful wildlife including auks, gannets and gulls, with a chance of porpoises and dolphins too.
The sea brings everyone and everything to the island’s shores but from the tiny harbour, buses, bikes and hiking trails snake away in different directions and it never seems too crowded. Residential volunteers head up to the west, where the team will be waiting to welcome you into the volunteers’ cottage, just a short walk from the Seabird Centre at the West Lighthouse.
Our volunteer team are mostly here for two weeks at a time and come from all walks of life, so there’s plenty to discover about each other as well as learning about island life, the spectacular seabirds and the unique ‘upside down’ lighthouse!
Volunteers’ main role at the Seabird Centre is to meet, greet and help visitors to get the best of their trip, as well as gaining an understanding of why it’s so important to support organisations like the RSPB to protect birds and other wildlife. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the first thing most people ask for is help to spot a puffin!
We walk to work each morning across a nature reserve that has views of three countries – the north Antrim coast, the Donegal hills and the Scottish island of Islay. Whatever the weather, the air is fresh, the sea incessant and the light always changing.
Put simply, volunteering here is unforgettable.
Volunteers are needed from mid-March to mid-September 2017. Accommodation is provided and a minimum commitment of two weeks (Monday to Monday) is preferable. Interested? Find out more here or email volunteers@rspb.org.uk. Alternatively, please call RSPB NI during office hours on 028 9049 1547.