Today, in honour of this year’s Volunteer Week, we shine a spotlight on the incredible volunteers who dedicate their time and passion to RSPB NI.
We are thrilled to share the experiences of three remarkable volunteers who have made a significant impact in their respective roles. Let's hear from RSPB NI Team Member Dara Brown, Kim Hamilton and Clive Cook, both passionate RSPB NI Volunteers!
What is it like volunteering for RSPB NI? Why volunteer for us? And would they recommend it to anyone?
Let’s hear it from them!
Dara Brown, RSPB NI Team Member
How long have you been a volunteer?
I have been volunteering for RSPB NI since January 2023.
What are your missions?
With my role, I hope to encourage people to get involved with RSPB NI through volunteering. I want to highlight the wide variety of volunteering roles that are available and showcase how rewarding it is to be involved with such an important cause.
Why volunteer for the RSPB?
Over the past few years, I’ve started to learn more and more about the importance of conservation and looking after our planet. So, I really wanted to do something that contributed to saving nature. I was also keen to develop my communication skills and gain experience in a promotion role after starting my MSc Marketing in September 2022. My volunteer role brought these two ambitions together perfectly!
Would you recommend volunteering and why?
I would absolutely recommend volunteering. It gives you a real feeling of achievement and belonging because you get an inside look at the fantastic work of RSPB NI. I was always a fan of nature, but volunteering has given me perspective to appreciate and enjoy it even more. I’m learning so much and I’m so glad I got involved.
Kim Hamilton, RSPB NI Volunteer
I was a volunteer with the RSPB from 2005 to 2012. I then left for no other reason other than just wanting to do something else. At that time, I worked with children's groups such as scouts, girls brigade and boys brigade teaching children about birds. I did the Big Schools Bird Watch and Wildlife Action Awards. I also helped at Events which included the Balmoral Show. Two months ago, I re-joined RSPB NI as a volunteer.
I now look after three pin badge boxes in three local shops. I also do some bucket collecting to raise money for RSPB NI. I sometimes work at Belfast’s Window On Wildlife helping with school groups, showing them the birds and doing crafts with them.
I volunteered with RSPB NI because I have a love of nature and wildlife. I enjoy helping to educate children about the work of the RSPB as they are our future. The volunteers and staff at RSPB NI are all very supportive and friendly and I enjoy working with them.
There are many volunteer opportunities with RSPB NI, and I would definitely recommend volunteering with them if you have a love of birds and other wildlife. It is a joy that in some small way I am helping to preserve habitats for wildlife by being a member of the RSPB and a volunteer.
Clive Cook, RSPB NI Volunteer
I began volunteering with RSPB NI in September 2022, and generally do two half days a week at my local reserves - Portmore Lough, and Montiaghs Moss.
As volunteers we get involved in a wide range of activities that can change throughout the seasons! In autumn and winter, we could be clearing invasive scrub, hedge-laying, tree and hedge planting, putting up nest boxes and pathway maintenance. Whilst in spring and summer, we could do some gardening, keeping paths and walkways free of moss and vegetation, building planters and litter picking.
Volunteers also get involved in various RSPB NI surveys: dragonfly and damselfly surveys in the summer, wildfowl and wader surveys on the Loughs in the winter, to breeding wader surveys in the spring. I've been lucky enough to be involved in all of these. Despite the usual 4.00 am alarm call (yes really...), they are a wonderful opportunity to explore our beautiful reserves at a special time of day and hone your identification skills.
After spending many decades sat in front of a computer screen and all too often gazing out of the window and wishing I was 'out there', I decided to spend most of my time outside and doing something good and worthwhile for the environment. As an Environmental Science graduate during a time when environmental issues were less prioritized globally, finding conservation jobs was challenging. I ended up doing voluntary work and working as a Cartographic Surveyor, enjoying the outdoors 90% of the time. Eventually, I had to transition to indoor work, putting my outdoor life on hold.
Fast forward to 2022, and this eager retiree sees RSPB NI as the perfect body to get hands-on practical conservation experience and finally get back out there in the landscape (and what truly lovely landscapes they are too!).
Volunteering with RSPB NI brings personal benefits that I wholeheartedly recommend without hesitation. For me, there is a deep sense of purpose and satisfaction in doing work that directly benefits some of our most precious landscapes and wildlife.
The chance to actively care for and enhance nature, something I've cherished since childhood, is immensely fulfilling and rewarding. Additionally, you are volunteering with like-minded individuals who share common goals and interests, which is a true pleasure! Coupled with the invaluable knowledge and support given by RSPB NI staff and experts, it creates a genuine sense of belonging and makes you feel a part of something meaningful.
As we celebrate RSPB Volunteer Week, we are immensely grateful for the commitment and dedication shown by volunteers like Dara, Kim and Clive. Their stories serve as powerful reminders of the positive impact individuals can make when they contribute their time and skills to conservation efforts.
Keep an eye out for #VolunteerWeek2023 on our platforms and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to learn more about RSPB volunteering.
Interested in volunteering?
Whether you choose to inspire others, raise funds, or educate future generations, the RSPB welcomes your support. From the 1st to the 7th of June, join us in celebrating the invaluable contributions of RSPB volunteers, and consider becoming a part of this remarkable community!
Find a volunteering opportunity here.