I'd like to say a big 'THANK YOU' to Hannah and Paul of the RSPB Mull of Galloway reserve for making Caroline and myself so welcome during our volunteering week in June. It has literally changed the course of my life in a way I never imagined.
The Mull of Galloway is a breathtaking place to be and I learned so much whilst I was there. Volunteering is a marvellous opportunity to contribute to the work of the RSPB, and this has been my second year of residential volunteering. Last year I took a week's holiday off work and went to Loch Garten (Operation Osprey). This year, my job became redundant in February, but I still have some part-time self-employed work, so I could still only really afford to take a week away, and my friend and I picked the Mull of Galloway as we wanted to see the seabirds. Volunteering with the RSPB makes going away really affordable as accommodation is provided (and what glorious accommodation it is, set in the grounds of the Botanic Gardens!). We only had to pay to get there and for our food (oh, and for all the pin badges I bought - I get a new one of any new-to-me bird, and there were many!).
I was so fired up when I got back that I went on the RSPB website to find out what other volunteering opportunities there were for me. As is often the case with a web search, one thing led to another and I ended up in the Jobs section. I couldn't believe my luck when I saw a fab job advertised in my local area (I didn't even know the RSPB ~had~ an office here). Not only was there a job, but it seemed to me that I fulfilled all the criteria. Closing date was the next day, so I was up until 4 am putting my application form together, and carried on working on it the next day, and managed to get it Emailed in just in time. Within days I was invited to interview at the Northern headquarters at Denby Dale (what a fabulous village - if you ever go I can highly recommend the food at Beanies in the Mill, and the Pie Village circular walk). The next day I got a phone call offering me the job, and if all goes according to plan I start next month.
So not only did I have a fab week volunteering but it indirectly led me to getting a new job and a new direction too. Thanks RSPB!
Norm
Hi Norm (Ok, I'm going to make an effort to change your name in my head!), thanks so much for this post, I'm really so glad that you got the job, and sure you'll be great at it too. Say hi to Carolyn Jarvis, who works in your area from me - she was one of the first people to get me started and fired up with the RSPB last year! Hope you manage to collect lots more pin-badge rewards this summer, and keep in touch.
Hannah x
I didn't know there was a Mull of Galloway page, brilliant I love the place.
I have stayed at the Lighthouse keepers cottage numerous times and watched the peregrines, and also sampled some stonking great home cooked meals at the Gallie Craig café.
Thoroughly recommend people visit the reserve, very friendly and informative staff.
Thanks Borderslass! Glad you enjoyed the reserve. This community page is new, and we haven't quite managed to link it to the reserve page yet (work in progress), so well done for finding us!
H