Reasons to be cheerful about volunteering with Greener Kirkcaldy

Climate Champion Volunteer Jan Brereton explains how she helped bring the staycation message to St Andrews.

Reminding myself of the old saying: “there’s no such thing as bad weather, its bad clothing” I stepped out into gusty winds and a rain shower at St Andrews. An interesting twist for an event that was promoting staycations in Scotland!

Equally, this is the reason why I enjoy volunteering with Greener Kirkcaldy. It has given me the opportunity to learn new ways of delivering a message that opens conversations about a community’s understanding of the climate emergency.

How did I get involved in volunteering as a Climate Champion? 

Before I retired from paid work I had joined Greener Kirkcaldy as a member and I received their regular newsletter detailing what’s happening where and when.

As Covid-19 restrictions were lifted and I began to adjust to retirement, I enquired about volunteering and attended Greener Kirkcaldy’s Annual Gathering to find out more. During this event I was welcomed by everyone, learned more about their current work and how local people could contribute to the organisation’s future development and growth.

What had interested me about Greener Kirkcaldy’s Climate Champion role?

I believe that we share what we know to develop and grow. I am vision-impaired and have personal and work experience of opening conversations that help people to understand how they can make a difference by delivering inclusive services to people with sensory loss.  Some messages are easier to explain than others.

This doesn’t mean we have to stop taking action although we may need to design and develop new ways of spreading the word

Likewise, I believe that the Climate Champion volunteer role can open conversations that lead to a better understanding of how taking action on reducing carbon emissions today will move us towards a more climate friendly environment and sustainable community for all our tomorrows.

Back to St Andrews

In spite of the windswept stall and the inclement weather we were still able to attract people to the Staycation event. We talked to them about how we can help address the climate emergency by reviewing why we go on holiday and the impact their choices may have on warming planet Earth.

We delivered several activities which engaged individuals, opening conversations which gave me new insights into how you can meet new people, spread a meaningful message and return home feeling your volunteering is making a difference.

If you’d like to volunteer with Greener Kirkcaldy email volunteer@greenerkirkcaldy.org.uk or phone 01592 858458.