We have many volunteers involved in the RSPB’s pin badge scheme who make sure that all our badges are displayed in shops all around the UK. So it’s no surprise that the public are coming across the badges and wanting to use them for parties, schools, weddings and funerals. This is great news as we are more likely to receive the full £1 suggested donation on these requests.
We have now had nearly 100 wedding favour orders in the past two years and all of these have been put together and despatched by Colin Hawkins.
Susan Sutton, Community Marketing Development Project Manager says: “Without his help in dealing with all our special order requests I could spend at least half a day each week picking and packing the orders. With schools and our local groups also wanting large badge orders, I am reliant on Colin to make sure we have enough of all the right stock.
We are also selling badges on ebay (rspb | eBay) and this is proving very popular with nearly 300 regular customers. Colin, along with my home based volunteers Christine and Heather deal with all the ebay orders and we make sure that they are all despatched within 5 days”.
Can you help us with your management skills? We need a 'people person' to manage and support a team of community fundraising volunteers. We have lots of volunteer box 'minders' looking after the RSPB's pin badge & collecting boxes, we want to support them with volunteer Area Co-coordinators’.
In this role you will ensure they have all the resources they need, from ordering more stationery/badges etc for them; co-ordinating income reports; recruiting volunteer to cover sick or holidays; to be on hand to answer questions (over the phone, by email or meeting up).
You'll look after the minders, liaise with and update the community fundraising team at regional office each month and ensure the boxes raise the most money they can, encouraging minders to move them to different sites if they don't do well.
If you are happy to talk to people, can motivate and enthuse them about the RSPB, can encourage everyone to be proactive about expanding this important scheme and are meticulous in your record-keeping, then you could be who we need. You will take the initiative and talk to managers at pubs, tourist attractions and other venues that might be willing to have one of our badge boxes, then find someone to look after them. Could you promote the scheme to people, enlist people you meet, or persuade existing volunteers if they might take on another box? If so, you could be perfect!
Charles Mossman, Area Co-ordinator for the RSPB's pin badges in Mid Devon, with team member and retired RSPB Local Group Leader, John Maxwell, take time out from looking after their regular badge boxes to spend time at Exmoor Zoo. Several of the team go about four times a year during the school holidays. They've found that it's a great way to meet people and tell them about what the RSPB does. Having a badge board and tombola can make a big difference to income, raising more in a day than some badge boxes raise in a year. They are also great at attracting people over for a chat.
Being an Area Co-ordinator can involve advising team members, ordering kit, collating income reports, placing new boxes and interviewing potential volunteers. For those wanting to get more involved, as Charles does, there is the chance to get the team involved in organising and/or attending events.
Can you help us minding boxes? We need enthusiastic and motivated volunteers to look after or place boxes for us in shops, cafes, vets, pubs, hotels and leisure centres. If customers are walking through a door then a charity box can be successful.
Just 30 minutes every 4-6 weeks to pop into a site, re-fill the box and bank the cash. It is also a great way of meeting new people and having fun, at the same time making a real difference towards the work of the RSPB.
All we ask is that each volunteer manages a minimum of 4 boxes at a time in the community and at work. Can you place boxes in your local shops, or have one on the reception desk at work?
If you think that either the Area Co-ordinator role or Box Minder role is right up your street please email communitymarketing@rspb.org.uk or contact your Community Fundraising Officer their telephone and email addresses can be found here.
To find out more about our Pin Badge Scheme please click here now. To find out what other volunteering opportunities there are in your area, then click here.
No matter what you think you are, you are always and in all ways so much more!