Volunteers celebrate seven years of being HOT
The Healthy Outdoors Team (HOT) who volunteer their time to take part in the care and maintenance of the National Trust for Scotland’s country park in Brodick celebrated their seventh birthday recently.
The group, whose emphasis is on mental and physical health and friendship through healthy exercise and being outdoors in nature, has played a huge role in conservation activities in the Brodick Castle grounds.
Led by volunteer Jo Totty, who helped to establish the group in 2012, the aim of the volunteer organisation has stayed true to its goals of giving everyone the opportunity to improve both their physical and mental health, improve their local environment and, more importantly, to have fun and make new friends.
During the seven years of existence, they have helped with clearing rhododendrons, painted bridges, created hedges, built a tree nursery and maintained flowerbeds and gardens among many other activities.
Another valuable contribution they have provided has been taking hardwood cuttings and nurturing a huge number of trees in their nursery that will be planted in Glen Rosa as part of a major regeneration project for the glen.
Long-term volunteer Jo said: ‘Since the start of the group we’ve had over 20 different volunteers who have contributed more than 3,200 hours to conservation on Arran – the equivalent of one full-time person working for 20 months. Keep up the amazing work and dedication.’
Anyone is welcome to join the HOT team and will be warmly welcomed. Meetings take place at the Ranger Centre every Tuesday at 10am. Further details about the group can be obtained by calling 01770 302462.