Volunteer Centre Western Isles

Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering.Working at the heart of our communities since 1997

Volunteer Centre Western IslesAnnual Report

2019

- 2020

2

We encourage our staff to get involved in local community volunteering, with paid days to participate in social, charitable and environmental activities.Isle of Harris Distillers

Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering

Shona Macleod and Harrison Wood, Isle of Harris Distillery, with the certificate for Employer-Supported Volunteering.

A certificate for Employer-Supported Volunteering was presented to the Isle of Harris Distillery for their commitment to community volunteering by allowing staff to take (paid) time off to help with local projects. This is the first award to an employer in Harris but we hope to see more gaining this recognition in future years.

4. About Us

4. Manager’s Report

5. Chair’s report

6. Our Trustees

7. Our Staff

8. What We Do i. Third Sector Interface Western

Isles (TSIWI) ii. Building intelligence iii. Connect iv. Building capacity v. Voice

27. Finances

3www.volunteercentrewi.org

Contents

Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering4

Volunteer Centre Western Isles is an independent local charity with offices and staff in Lewis, Harris, Uist and Barra.We provide information, advice and support to individuals interested in volunteering, volunteer managers, voluntary groups, clubs and organisations, private and public sector organisations and companies.We: • offerfree,confidentialsupportto

people who want to volunteer and groups/ organisations who involve volunteers

• provide a brokerage service, matching volunteers to volunteer roles in hundreds of local and national organisations

• support community events that are often run entirely run by volunteers

• facilitate adult and youth volunteer awards that recognise the achievements of volunteers

• facilitate volunteer awards for organisations who provide the best experience for their volunteers

• gather statistics and carry out research into volunteering in the Western Isles which we share with local and national government

• constantlyworktoraisetheprofileofvolunteering as a positive force with prospective volunteers, local policy makers and community leaders

We are committed to serving our rural communities in ways that best suit their needs throughout the Western Isles. We are passionate about volunteering; we support and encourage it in all forms.

About us

Focused, streamlined, flexible – that is what we aim for.Over the year we developed new streams of work such as the new intergenerational projects in Barra and Lewis, ran the Bra Bank and other projects across the islands, used feedback from volunteers and organisations to raise concerns about gaps in volunteering provision, publicised a wide range of opportunities and placed volunteers in many of them. We have spent a lot of our focus on working with young people, through the Wood Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Initiative in secondary schools and the Saltire Awards, which we promote to young people in every island. We have now chosen to run regular simple ceremonies to present Saltire Awards to young volunteers and have encouraged organisations to recognise the achievement

of their volunteers.This year saw us overhauling our database system, revising our work plan to a new structure we share with our TSI partners, and always trying to ensure our staff can focus their time on what matters most to the VC and our customers. Meeting with over 100 organisations gave us information about the volunteering scene throughout the islands and with our popular Volnet meetings we helped link up organisations, sharing good practice and common issues.Grateful thanks to all our staff over the year for all their hard work and innovation, and to our board for their excellent support to us and our services. Teamwork is everything!

Kirsty Macdonald

Managers Report

5www.volunteercentrewi.org

Chair’s ReportThis has been a very different year and with our AGM having been delayed until August I have also included reference to April to July in this report.Staff working from home, meetings via ZOOM, Lockdown, communities almost coming to a standstill, events throughout the islands cancelled, links to the mainland very limited and so much more.....Throughout the Volunteer Centre has continued to deliver on its key policies, despitethesedifficulties,andassomeofthe many restrictions start to ease we are all looking forward to the future in a very positive manner.As Chair I offer my sincere thanks to all volunteers, staff and Board members who havecontributedthroughoutthesedifficulttimes. You are a credit to yourselves, our organisation and to the Western Isles community that we are all a part of.I am also pleased to report that our funding during the past year from the Scottish Government and our local council has continued, enabling the VCWI to continue to deliver on the wide range of work that it has been involved in.This year we have appointed two new staff members in Uist; Vicki Manchester and in Lewis, Marion Wilson. They have settled in very well and are valued members of our staff team working throughout the Western Isles.Jo Bagrie and Steve Hankinson have joined our Board this year, and we welcome them both.One of our Board members, Janet Macleod, has announced that she will be standing

down from the Board. Our sincere thanks to her for all her work and support in her time on the Board.Our intergenerational work has developed significantlyduringthispastyearandinMarch we continued this intergenerational work during COVID lockdown with care homes.The Scottish Government Ready Scotland Volunteer response to COVID also began in March and we been involved in this development throughout. I am also pleased to report that we are fully engaged in the local TSI partnership as it continues to strengthen. We also now have a new website: www.tsiwi.orgFinally, as a number of you will already know, our joint manager, Kirsty Macdonald, will be retiring at the end of September 2020. She has been at the heart of the excellent work and development of the Volunteer Centre since she joined the organisation over twenty years ago and I know that you will all wish her well in the future.After discussions with Suzanne Macaulay, our other joint manager, she indicated her wish to take on the role of Manager of VCWI. This was put to the Board who unanimously approved the appointment and she will take on the full time role after Kirsty leaves us.This has been a momentous year in so many ways and I thank you all for your continued help and support as we continue the very important work of the Volunteer Centre.

Clive RowlandsChair


Welcome to our 2019 /20 annual report. This year’s annual report is different from our normal format. Due to COVID19, our work has changed considerably over the last few months and along with all others working in both statutory services and the third sector, we have worked to respond to community needs and develop our service to meet these needs during the lockdown period. The role and value of volunteers has never been more apparent than over the last few months, where community volunteers have led the

response to community need during lockdown. An army of volunteers have helped with roles such as pharmacy and shopping deliveries; making scrubs, face masks for health and social care settings and performing any roles required to look after those who were shielding in order to keep our communities functioning and the vulnerable safe. We have been proud to assist with this in supporting community groups and volunteers throughout lockdown.

Due to this changed and increased workload, we have delayed our AGM and produced a smaller annual report this year to show you the highlights of our work during 2019 - 20. A more detailed annual report with detailed statistics and narrative is available on our website. We look forward to continuing to encourage, support and promote volunteering across the Western Isles over the coming year, in whatever way it is required.

Suzanne MacaulayJoint Manager

Volunteer Centre Western Isles Trustees Chair Clive Rowlands VolunteerTreasurer Christine McKee VolunteerSecretary Catherine Burgess VolunteerJanet Macleod CnES Community Learning and Development (Lewis)

(Resigned February 2020)Sonja Macleod Chest, Heart and Stroke ScotlandEoin Macneil Voluntary Action Barra and VatersayDenise Symington VolunteerCatriona Morrison CnES Community Learning and Development (Uist)Jo Bagrie VolunteerSteven Hankinson Volunteer

Volunteer Centre Western Isles is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) No. SCO27472

www.volunteercentrewi.org 7

We believe that people are the most important part of any organisation. This is why we place so much value in support for our staff and volunteers.

www.volunteercentrewi.orgTwitter @VolunteeringWIFacebook @VolunteercentreWI

www.volunteercentrewi.org

Our StaffManagers

Kirsty Macdonald (Jobshare) [email protected] Macaulay (Jobshare) [email protected]

Administrator & Finance Officer Angelique Macdonald [email protected]

Development Workers (Lewis)Bellann O’Brien [email protected] Wilson [email protected] 95 Cromwell Street, Stornoway 01851700366

Development Worker (Harris) Kate LangleyOld Primary School, Tarbert 01859502636 [email protected]

Development Worker (Uist) Vicki Manchester 41 Airport Road, Balivanich 01870602604 [email protected]

Development Worker (Barra)Katherine MacNeilAm Bothan, Northbay, Isle of Barra 01871890775 [email protected]


What we doWork in partnership

We are proud to be one of the six partners that make up the Third Sector Interface (TSI) Western Isles.

Through TSI Western Isles we work to support, develop and promote the interests and work of voluntary and community organisations in the Western Isles. We are funded by the Scottish Government to provide a single point of access for support and advice for the third sector. There is a network of 32 interfaces across Scotland: one for each local authority.TSI Western Isles has responsibility for: • Supporting and developing a strong

Third Sector • Building the Third Sector relationship

with community planning

• Providing regular reporting to Scottish Governments Third Sector Unit on our activities

TSI Western Isles is made up of six partners: • Volunteer Centre Western Isles • Voluntary Action Barra & Vatersay

(VABV) • Uist Council of Voluntary

Organisations (UCVO) • Harris Voluntary Service • Volunteering Hebrides • Outer Hebrides Social Enterprise

Partnership (OHSEP)

Pictured TSI Western Isles partners who attended the TSI North of Scotland event in Inverness in March.


What we doWork in partnership

Find out more at tsiwi.org

The support, development and representation of local community groups, voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering

Voice of The SectorTSI Western Isles represent the voluntary

sector at a number of local strategic groups and national network meetings. This means

that voluntary groups across the Western Isles have a voice to these groups and networks.

SupportWe work to build capacity in our local

third sector by developing the capacity of volunteering, community groups, voluntary

organisations and social enterprise to achieve positive change.

VolunteeringAs the Third Sector Interface (TSI) for the Western Isles, we promote volunteering and help organisations and community groups

to recruit volunteers through our support for volunteer involving organisations.

01851 702632

✉ [email protected]

VoiceEnsuring a strong Third Sector voice at a strategic level within local planning structures and nationally

ConnectProviding leadership, vision and coordination to the local third sector to better respond to local priorities, including through partnership and collaborationWe want to hear from any organisations or individual we can support through these roles.

Build capacityDeveloping the capacity of volunteering, community groups, voluntary organisations and social enterprise to achieve positive change www.tsiwi.org

Our roleScottish Government funds TSI’s to perform the following roles:To be a central source of knowledge about: • The Third Sector locally • Local and national

policy and how it might affect local Third Sector, communities and citizens

• How the Third Sector can contribute to those agendas


Our activities to support volunteers and volunteer involving organisations are brokenintothefollowingcategories,asdefinedbyScottishGovernment:

• Building Intelligence • Connect

• Build Capacity• Voice

Underpinning all activities are actions ensuring that the Volunteer Centre Western Isles is committed to excellence in all that we do and has in place

sound governance.

registered 319 new volunteers

promoted 91 new

volunteering opportunities,

alongside existing ones

registered 42 new

organisations for support

from the Volunteer

Centre

Our Work

This year, we have:

We ensure we have up to date volunteering opportunities available to meet a wide range of needs and interests. Throughout the year, our staff work to make contact with the 380 volunteer organisations who are registered with us to check if they need support and to check we have up to date contact details and volunteer opportunities. We also proactively make contact with volunteer organisations throughout the islands to promote our services and ensure organisations are aware of the services the Volunteer Centre can offer, if required.

I would to thank you for all your help, support and advice in seeking opportunities to become a volunteer and to get involved in my local community.

Volunteer, Barra

Volunteering is great preparation for your future career.Lews Castle student


Our WorkCOVID-19 and Volunteering

Due to COVID-19, our volunteering has adapted and changed. Although most of our response work took place from April onwards, from mid-March, we followed national guidelines to support essential volunteer roles and encourage home based volunteering. The volunteer response across the Western Isles, as it was elsewhere in Scotland, was amazing. Throughout lockdown, we have adopted the message set up by Volunteer Edinburgh and encouraged people to ‘Think local and act locally!’ and put out the message that basic neighbourliness is absolutely vital in a crisis, whether it is extreme weather or coronavirus, and it is often the little acts of kindness that have the most impact.We received an initial 90 volunteer requests through the Scottish Government Ready Scotland campaign and Volunteer Scotland and supported people into a wide variety of volunteering, both in their community in essential roles and in home based volunteering to support the COVID-19 response. Volunteer Centre Development Workers developed and promoted

information on a wide range of home-based volunteering for those looking to help or keep busy during lockdown, such as sewing, knitting and home crafting for local care homes, including making scrubs and telephone befriender for various organisations such as Silver Line, Lewis Befriending, Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland. We also launched our new Volunteering and COVID-19 portal page on www.volunteercentrewi.org This page contained advice on how to help during the COVID-19 pandemic. We realised there was a lot of information around so established this portal as a source of trusted information for volunteer involving community groups, organisations and volunteers, including ‘off the shelf policies’ for supporting volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic and links to funding. The aim of it was to support groups to support their volunteers.


Due to COVID-19, our intergenerational volunteering has adapated and changed. As part of our approach to carry on building our intergenerational links during lockdown, we have worked with the Stornoway Primary hub class and Trust Housing in Lewis Street and Matheson Road in Lewis to bring some entertainment to residents. Following our year long intergenerational project, our Development Worker (Lewis), Bellann O’ Brien, was aware that the elderly tenants in lockdown were unable to see family or go out. This raised concerns of isolation and less stimulation for lots of residents. On speaking with the class teacher that we have previously worked with on the previous Failte Centre visits, a plan was drawn up to continue the intergenerational work in a safe way with the children from the Stornoway primary School Hub visiting the courtyards to entertain the tenants. As a result, the joint Volunteer Centre and Stornoway Primary project resulted in children from the Stornoway Primary using their exercise hour to sing Gaelic songs and

dance for the residents to bring some fun to everyone’s day! Adhering to Government guidelines, we began a series of visits where residents watched from open windows or sat in the courtyard from a safe distance.

Our WorkCOVID 19 Intergenerational

volunteering

“Tenants in Lewis Street and Matheson Road have been entertained over the last few weeks by young children from the Stornoway Primary, who are all very talented and gifted ranging from highland dancers to an incredible young piper. This was also for some of the tenants who have been unable to see their own grandchildren a very poignant experience.This was something the tenants looked forward to and it provided a small degree of normality at this time. Having good weather was also a bonus. All the tenants enjoyed these events and a big thank you to Bellann O’Brien for organising this. Hopefully this is something that will continue when lock down restrictions are eventually lifted.”Managers of Trust Housing Matheson Road and Lewis Street


Our WorkIn March, Bellann O’Brien, Development Worker (Lewis), organised a further intergenerational project to respond to COVID19 restrictions – a pen pal system between the Stornoway Primary, Failte Centre and Trust Housing. Letters are sent to Volunteer Centre staff and scanned and sent between older and younger pen pals who were taking part in one of our intergenerational projects to encourage letter writing skills and to build relationships between pupils and older generation. Stornoway Primary P4a wrote cards to the Thursday Club, Failte Centre which we posted out. The cards were to let the service users know that although the visits were cut short due to the Coronavirus the children are thinking of them. The plan is to meet up again after the summer breakA video of the children with a message for the group was shared on social media.

“This has really made my day, the children are so talented and look beautiful, thank you for coming to visit.” Trust Housing tenant

“This is very different from before as we cannot be close to the old folk. I like being able to make them smile, this is fun.” Pupil

“It is nice visiting the tenants, I like making them happy. I liked it when they were waving to me from the windows.”Pupil


Our WorkScrubs

During March, Volunteer Centre Western Isles launched a scrubs and facemasks project in response to COVID19, described as “One of the biggest stitching projects in memory” on the islands by Events newspaper. We became aware of the need for scrubs and scrub bags from local care homes and face masks for local community volunteers throughout the islands and worked with local volunteers to plan and launch an inter-island ‘Stitching and Sewing’ project. A team of stitchers and sewers were linked together by our Development Worker (Uist), Vicki Manchester with a £3,000 grant from NFU Mutual and support from local shops Stitch in the Ditch and Island Darkroom in Lewis, Buth Bharraigh in Barra, along with links to the national ‘For the Love of Scrubs’ campaign. The NFU Mutual grant was used to buy the materials for scrubs including fabric, ribbon and buttons and full-size patterns printed at Stornoway Media Centre.The March launch saw a dedicated army of volunteers come forward to support local care homes and stitch. In Uist two care homes – Sacred Heart House in Daliburgh and Trianaid Care Home at Carinish, North Uist – placed arequestforscrubstofiteachoftheir60careworkers and St Brendan’s Care Home in Barra also requested scrubs and scrubs bags. Care-workers needing several sets each to ensure that they can be clean for work and protected from transmitting infection as they look after the more vulnerable members of our community. Some volunteers are also making

scrub bags to allow a whole set of scrubs to be put straight into the wash without being handled.Development Workers also started to organise face masks for community volunteers. One of the stitchers is North Uist seamstress Margaret Cowie, who had already done some sewing in a previous job, who has volunteered to cut fabric into lengths and package it up with the right thread, tape and facings to make one set of scrubs per bundle.Vicki said: “We’ve got a team of 9 and rising every day. Some of our ladies are very accomplished sewers and are helping out those less experienced where needed. There is a team atmosphere, and everyone is working togethertobenefitthelocalcommunity.Wearefortunate to have Sharon from Point in Lewis as part of our team who makes and sends masks down to us (see her pictured wearing one of her own creations!) Mask extenders have also been posted to us from all over the UK by volunteers who saw our Facebook posts.” Following the March launch, the project continued during lockdown with our Barra and Lewis Workers, Katherine Macneil and Marion Wilson organising local volunteers and coordinating the local business support. So far, we have exceeded the target of 120 sets of scrubs and volunteer work is ongoing. Our thanks go out to all the wonderful volunteers in our community who came forward and continue to help and to the businesses and organisations who have donated their time and resources to support the project.


What we doTo promote volunteering opportunities, our website www.volunteercentrewi.org is being constantly updated and refreshed, with all of our 196 volunteer opportunities listed in the searchable database. This year, we updated and improved our search functions and layout on our website and we will continue to develop and improve our site content.

To make sure we have the most up to date opportunities possible, staff linked into appropriate local forums and networks to support the development and promotion of volunteering.

35 forums and partnerships

attended

196 volunteering opportunities

listed with Volunteer Centre in 2019/20


What we do

Calum Blane received his Saltire 10, 25, 50, 100 and 200hourcertificates.Calum volunteered in Scaladale Outdoor Centre as an Assistant Instructor and because of the experience he gained doing this, he is now employed in this role.

Jamie McIntosh who was presented with his SaltireCertificatesbyKatherine Macneil for achieving a brilliant 500 hours volunteering at Garadh a Bhagh a Tuath and Buth Bharraigh.

Volunteering for me was a great way of getting my foot in the door to anewfieldthatIwould have never even considered could be an actual job! I believe it is an extremely accessible way to learn new skills and meet a wide range of interesting and knowledgeable people.


What we doSupported 55 organisations

through 113 meetings with guidance and

support for volunteer management

Held 321 face to face meetings

with organisations to encourage,

promote and support volunteering.

Supported the development of

39 new volunteer opportunities

Volunteer Management training attended by 11 volunteer involving organisations in Uist

Volunteer Centre Western Isles staff undertaking new Volunteer Management training, delivered by Volunteer Edinburgh

We continue to raise volunteering issues to strategic forums, councillors and community leaders in our TSI role and held meetings to discuss and resolve. We continue to record gaps in service and volunteer issues and raise them in relevant places, such as strategic forums, CPP and with local councillors. Wherever possible, we work to address these gaps in provision, for example creating a group volunteering opportunity for a group of vulnerable adults and another for young people who could not access other appropriate volunteer opportunities.

Staff continue to support volunteers to identify areas they would like to volunteer in and have supported the development of 39 new volunteer opportunities this year.


What we doYouth Volunteering

This group of Secondary 3 pupils from the Nicolson Institute worked together with Volunteer Centre and Nicolson Institute staff on an Environmental project where they designed and produced posters to encourage fellow pupils to recycle their waste throughout the school in the correct way.

The group are shown here receiving their Saltire Challengecertificatesfortheir efforts. Well done to Evan, Calum, Connor, Angus and Leo (missing from photo) for their great work!The group will continue this environmental project and work towards gaining their Saltire Approach 10 and 25 hourcertificates.

Issued 196 Saltire awards, with the issue of a further 45 delayed

due to COVID19

Developed volunteering in primary school

settings and supported schools with primary age

volunteering which led to 281 Callanish

awards being issued.


Kyle Munro presented by Cllr Charlie Nicolson with his 100 hour Saltire Award. Kyle started his Saltire award hours in Stornoway as a Sports Coach and continued to build up his hours following his move to Dingwall to continue Sports Coaching.

Andrew Hughson receiving his Summit Award.

Sophie Stephen receiving her 100 hour Saltire Awards.

James Cunningham receiving his Summit award Certificate. Huge congratulations to James Cunningham who received The Saltire Summit Award. This is a prestigious award for volunteering above and beyond expectations.James was nominated by Stornoway High Church of Scotland for his volunteering role as Technical Director The Award was presented to the Nicolson pupil by Clive Rowlands, Chairperson of the Volunteer Centre Board.Quote from James regarding his volunteering:-“I volunteer because it

benefits the community we live in, helps others, is a great, positive thing to do with my time and I really enjoy doing it. Volunteering benefits me as it helps me gain knowledge and experience, allows me to develop social skills through working and interacting with others and is also a great skill to have on CVs and personal statements. I would recommend volunteering to others because it is fun, rewarding and can have a positive impact on your life and others’. November 2019

Our WorkSaltire Awards


This year, working in partnership with Community Leaning and Development, Volunteer Centre Development Workers in Lewis developed an intergenerational project with primary 5 and 6 pupils at Sgoil an Taobh Siar and Bragar and Arnol Community Trust.We carried out an initial workshop talking to the pupils about volunteering andit’sbenefitsThechildrenmade a paperchain of kindness by listing some of the kind volunteering acts they have carried out and joined them all together to make a colourful display that can be added to in their classroom as more acts of kindness are carried out. The pupils have made successful and enjoyable

visits to the members of the community, who get together and meet weekly for tea, cake and a catch up in the Barvas Hall. This is organised by the Bragar and Arnol Community Trust. The pupils worked with the ladies and gentlemen on

worksheets and activities, getting to know to each other and sharing skills, knowledge and experiences. The worksheets were based on the theme ‘Air a’Chuan’.Everyone has enjoyed the visits, with the result that pupils were asking if they could stay longer and the ladies and gentlemen saying that they loved to see the children and that the activities they were doing brought them back to their school days.This project will continue over the coming months and the children will all be rewarded a Callanish Certificatefortheirinput.

What we doIntergenerational training


This year, young people from across Uist have received their Callanish and Saltire Awards for their volunteer work. Sgoil Daliburgh, Sgoil Ubihst a Tuath, Sgoil Bhaile a’Mhanaich and Liniclete have worked with the Volunteer Centre Worker Vicki Manchester on projects such as intergenerational volunteering with the Armchair Athletics and musical performances in Care homes, gardening, peer volunteering in Youth Cafes, Food bank, and volunteering in after school activity clubs.Vicki also presented over 40 Callanish Awards at the Sgoil Daliburgh Christmas assembly with the Head teacher speaking on the theme of the value of giving yourself and your time to help others. Unfortunately, a further 40 awards for Sgoil Bhaile a’Mhanaich have been delayed due to COVID-19 school closures but will be presented later this year.Pictured are P3 pupils from Sgoil Ubihst a Tuath receiving their Callanish Award from Vicki in December.

Awards night at Uist Youth CaféOur Development Worker in Uist organised a Uist Youth Café celebration of their young volunteers who volunteer at youth cafe itself, in the local youth council and also in the Oasis Youth Cafe with all of them together receiving almost 300 hours in Saltire Awards and Paige receiving 100 hours.The time, effort and enthusiasm these young people put in is second to none and so invaluable in our community - really something to be celebrated! Well done all of you!! Thank you to our local councillor Roddy MacKay for presentingthecertificatesandtakingtimethiseveningtochat to our young people about their local community and how invaluable volunteering is.

Our WorkYouth Volunteer Awards

Our rural Volunteer Managers Network (Volnet) meeting in Ness led to our Lewis Development Workers working with Ness and Shader Community First Responders in December. The dedicated team were given recognition for their valued input and commitment for the service they provide within their community with Volunteer Centre Kisimul and Clisham Volunteer Awards. Group Co-ordinator, Martin Macleod arranged for the presentation of Awards to his team in order to recognise them and celebrate the vital work that they deliver within their community.The organisation was also presented with the Organisation Excellence Award for their continued support to their team of volunteers.Martin Macleod was also runner up in the Scottish Ambulance Awards for volunteering. “Martin is the backbone of our team and without him we would not be where we are today. He is 100% committed to supporting us and going above and beyond the role of a co-ordinater.” Well done to everyone involved in this highly valued community service.

What we do


Volunteer Managers Network meeting held in Carloway.

Volunteer Managers Network meeting in Ness.

Volunteer organisers, group leaders and volunteer managers met together for Volunteer Manager Network meetings hosted by Volunteer Centre Western Isles throughout this year. The meetings allow a chance for volunteer managers and organisers to exchange volunteer news, share information, and find out what was happening with other local groups. Shared solutions and connections have been made at these meetings, each of which were evaluated highly by those who attended.

Our WorkWe ran 5 Volunteer Centre Volunteer Manager Network

meetings throughout the islands and supported

22 organisations to hold celebrations of

volunteering


Volunteers Week will be remembered for a long time by Western Isles Weather’s Richard Cooke, who was surprised (Tuesday June 4th) with an award for his dedication to volunteering.The Volunteering Centre Western Isles staff caught the popular weatherman by surprise, when they presented him with the Clisham award – an award for adult volunteers developed to recognise an outstanding volunteering contribution for long-term commitment.Richard is the brains behind the Facebook page Western Isles Weather, which offers a tailored local weather prediction and recording service for islanders and off-island followers. Spiced up with video forecasts, weather photos and statistics on weather events, the page now has almost 17,500 followers.In addition to his work as a Coastguard operations officeratStornoway,Richard recently returned from a storm-chasing trip to the USA. He immediately picked up his programme of talks, with a presentation to Point Beavers, Cubs and Brownies on Monday (June

3rd).The Clisham award was presented to him during a talk this morning at Kinloch Historical Society and recognises his dedication to delivering talks on the weather to schools and community groups of all kinds.Richard said this afternoon: “Still totally speechless and humbled about this. At a weather talk today I was presented with the Clisham

Award for an outstanding volunteering commitment, from the Volunteer Centre. This was for all the weather talks I have given as part of Western Isles Weather to local schools and groups.”Picture shows Richard with his award this morning at Kinloch Historical Society. (Richard Cooke).

Article written by EVENTS Newpaper


Volunteer’s Week

At Christmas the Volunteer Centre and MPower worked in partnership to set up a Christmas appeal to provide gifts and cards with personal messages to elderly people in the Western Isles. It was a great example of partnership work whichhasbenefitedlotsoflonelyandisolatedpeoplewithinthe community, which we hope to repeat in future.

“My hat was so lovely and soft”“It was the only Christmas

Present I got”“Thank you so much, it really put a

smile on my face”“Our Community is so kind”

Run or developed 41 events /

volunteering opportunities

Sent 8 ebulletins and newsletters in a new format

“I saw the post on the Volunteer Centre Western Isles- Lewis page saying that they are now on the map as being a drop off point for new, used and unwanted bras.I thought great, since my own experience with cancer, 10 years ago which resulted in me having a mastectomy, I no longer had use for all the bras I had. I thought if donating them helps with research and also with helping small business in Africa then even better.”

Our Work


Nanna Maclean, Volunteer.

This year Volunteer Centre offices across the Western Isles became official drop-off points for the national Bra Bank Appeal.


Our Work

supported 24 volunteer

environmental events

supported 17 school environmental events

Providence School pupils have been volunteering with Bethesda Care Home residents and taking part in environmental volunteering in order to achieve their Callanish Awards

Our cutest ever Board meeting in the Volunteer Centre office in Stornoway! The children from Sgoil Araich Lacasdail, English Nursery were presented with some of our environmental packs by two of our Development Workers. The children used the litter pickers on their beach clean up and also to pick up litter while out on their walks within the community. They visited us for their Callanish Award presentations.

We have a strong commitment to being as environmentally friendly as we can be. As part of our commitment, we developed a new Environmental Policy this year and also represent the TSI Western Isles on the CPP Environment Outcomes Group. This year, we worked in partnership with Taigh Innes Gall (TIG) to develop, organise, promote and deliver energy efficiency advice lunchtime workshops for third sector groups. The ‘Greening Your Workplace’ workshops were well attended when run across the Western Isles, but unfortunately the Stornoway workshop had to postponed due to COVID19 lockdown.


VOLUNTEER CENTRE WESTERN ISLES SCIO

STATEMENT OF BALANCES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2020

Unrestricted Restricted At 31 At 31 funds funds March 2020 March 2019

£ £ £

Bank and cash in hand 97,066 6,376 103,442 108,464

FundsOpening Funds 105, 173 3,291 108, 464 100, 228Surplus(Deficit)forperiod (8,107) 3,085 (5,022) 8.236 97,066 6,376 103,442 108,464

Volunteer Centre Western Isles is an independent local charity with 4 offices and staff throughout the Western Isles.

Please drop in or contact us for further information about any of our services.

Lewis95 Cromwell Street, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, HS1 2DG

01851700366 [email protected]

HarrisOld Primary School, Tarbert, Isle of Harris, HS3 3BG


Uist41 Airport Road, Balivanich, Isle of Benbecula, HS7 5LA


BarraAm Bothan, Northbay, Isle of Barra, HS9 5YQ01871890775 [email protected]

Visit or [email protected]

Get in touch

We are proud to support the Third Sector as a partner in the Third Sector Interface Western Isles (TSIWI), funded by Scottish

Government as part of a Scotland-wide network of TSI’s.

Volunteer Centre Western Isles

Documents