We started 2018 with under 30 people volunteering with Arran Eco Savvy, and now have over 100.
Greater volunteer support enabled :
- Continued success of our shop
- Our Food Share programme
- Our Travel and Transport Initiative
- Open working group development
- A steering committee and an Energy project team
- Offered training and skills sharing opportunities to our volunteers & the wider community.
Many thanks to the Scottish Government and Impact Funding Partners (particularly Fiona Inglis and Bill Weir). Their investment, time and support has made such a positive difference to our volunteers and organisation as a whole!
Feedback from our Volunteers :
- Volunteering with Eco Savvy makes me feel like I’m giving back to the community, and has given her a sense of purpose. It’s given me a focus, and positivity during difficult times.
- I’ve become more climate conscious. It’s great learning the positive differences individuals can make.
- I’ve loved all the workshops, learning about composting, sustainable fashion, textile upcycling and sewing skills, and enjoyed making beeswax wraps, and natural (chemical free) cleaning products.
- I’ve really enjoyed the social side of the workshops and coffee mornings.
- [Volunteering with Arran Eco Savvy] pressed a lot of buttons for me in terms of something we could do practically within the community.
- The other thing I love about Eco Savvy is that it’s very intergenerational, you’ve got the schools coming in to do things. It’s active but also educational, so I think that’s a real positive.
- I loved talking with all the kids [at the Big Green Primary School’s event]. They seemed to have a real enthusiasm for it, which was brilliant to see.
- The Food Share is very tangible, you know, at the end of each thing, that’s all the bags of food we brought over, it’s all gone to good homes.
- Everything you do fits with the things I see as the way forward for myself, in terms of how I live, but also our community, and on a National & International level. I feel very comfortable and feel it’s a good organisation to be involved with
- Volunteering with Eco Savvy helped me regain my physical strength after a period of illness. It also made a big difference to my mental health, and restored confidence in my own abilities.
Volunteer Achievements:
- Climate Challenge Fund Climate Hero Award was presented to Gregor McKelvie, who ran 35 individual food shares. A massive one tonne of food was saved from landfill at the time of his nomination. This dedication, consistency and enthusiasm ensured the success, development and sustainability of the Brodick Food Share.
- Climate Challenge Fund Commendation went to Gerard Tattersfield for providing expert insight into setting up and expanding the project’s e-bike scheme, and inspiring the community to choose active travel. He ran the first month of the e-bike scheme with employees at the Lochranza distillery, helping staff save over 600 miles of car travel in those four weeks.
- Volunteers worked with us to complete their Gold & SIlver Duke of Edinburgh Awards.
- Young volunteers Finn Macarthur and Daisy Urquhart Dixon contributed to the BBC Bitesize Series on the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. They did a wonderful job of talking through Goal 13:Climate Action.
- Elizabeth Arnott and Esther Brown received ‘Hidden Hero’ recognition through the Room to Reward scheme. With their awards they received a certificate, and a link to book a complimentary 1 or 2 night stay in one of R2R’s 400 participating hotels.
- We held our own Sustainable Island Life Awards Night (online due to Covid) to recognise and celebrate volunteer contributions. Categories included ‘Helping Hero’, ‘Eco Excellence’, ‘Covid Champion’, ‘Outstanding Achievement’.
- Skills gained through working within the Eco Savvy shop have been invaluable to those seeking employment; for young people who’d never had a job to those who’d been out of work for some time, due to varying reasons, e.g. family or health issues.
- Other volunteers increased their responsibilities, working to strengthen and support Eco Savvy’s staff & volunteers by carrying out ongoing work as Board Members (Trustees, Chairperson, Secretary).
- Increased engagement, with numerous proceeding to volunteer in several areas of the charity, e.g. food share, sustainable travel, workshops, project development, energy committee, as well as the shop.
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