Then, when I was transitioning from working in finance, I did my BA through the Open University at first, then moved on to Oxford Brookes to complete it. After I finished my BA, the Open Uni were looking for tutors, which I was lucky to get. It was tutoring in something below an access course; all about building people’s confidence and getting them back into work.

Tutorials were via the telephone, and there were people who really developed and often said: ‘This is completely brilliant – I didn’t realise I could do that!’; and there were single mums who hadn’t left the house and, when the baby was crying, I’d sometimes have to call them back.

I did that for quite a few years and, once I’d done my Masters, I was able to do some lecturing at Oxford Brookes. I also did some one-to-one support at Ruskin College, helping people 55+ with their dissertations. They were on a government-funded project and came to live at Ruskin for a term to do a one-off project.

I loved it as it was quite an intellectual challenge, because you have some quite smart people who hadn’t necessarily had the educational background, but I had to help them find it in themselves to help build up their confidence.

I’d give them a structure around which to do things and then, by the time they got to the end of the course, I’d just step away. Then, they’d come up to me and say: ‘Well, I’ve done this research…’ and I’d feel like a proud parent! 

How did you follow that?

For the last twenty years my interests have been around equality and diversity issues. In my mid-30s I did a social change degree followed by a Masters and a PhD, all related to equality issues.

Nowadays, I’m a freelance researcher – I do a couple of days for a small women’s charity, and the rest of the time I’m a freelancer and I do evaluation work and qualitative research: mostly about meeting people from different backgrounds.

My interest is giving people a voice, so I often work with vulnerable groups – refugees and people from minority backgrounds, and basically try to help them tell their stories. 

Are you often surprised about what you hear?

One of things I’m always conscious of is how privileged some people are, and I include myself in that, but also how amazing people can be. The number of people I’ve met who would do anything: give all their time and effort, and don’t ask for anything in return. You recognise that: a) you’re privileged to be working with people like that, and b) no matter how rough a day you think you are having, there are people who have literally got nothing and yet still keep going.

Tell me more about your volunteering.

I volunteered in various different organisations – when I was younger, I worked at the
Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) for seven years as a volunteer. I was working in finance at the time, and it was very corporate which wasn’t really me, so I just needed something else.

I mostly used to work on the Meet and Greet desk, which was a complete change from my day job which didn’t have a healthy culture. I’ve also done work supporting charities which fed into helping their volunteers, doing things like evaluation work to support funding applications.

For the last twenty or so years I’ve helped run the local Amnesty International group, campaigning around human rights; organising vigils, stalls at community events, etc. and that’s taken up a lot of my time.

So, what brought you to BBOWT?

I’ve always been an animal-lover, and I sponsor about six dolphins! I’m a member of
BBOWT; the RSPB; Flora and Fauna International… But, it’s only since I’ve had a garden of my own that I’ve been actively thinking about how to attract wildlife.

At the moment my paid job is working in equalities, and still more desk-based than I’d like, so I thought I’d get to know what it’s like within a wildlife charity, that it would be nice to engage and learn more about wildlife. Every time I come, I learn a little bit more, and the people are great!

What did your childhood look like?

The main part of my childhood was on a council estate in Bristol, so not much green space, but I had my head in a book most of the time. Money was tight, so I think although there was time at the seaside, it would have been nice to have been able to explore nature a little bit more.

I think it would have got me at quite an early age had I had that opportunity. I was always very curious and I’ve always had an affinity with animals. I had a dog from when I was about eight, and we also had guinea pigs. Well, we started with one, which was already pregnant, so we ended up with 17 at one stage! We had a run to keep them in during the day that my step-dad built with chicken wire over the top. We used to move them around on the grass, so for years we didn’t have to mow our lawn! 

Who do you admire?

People who have overcome adversity, but don’t forget where they’ve come from. Some from the world of entertainment - Maxine Peake has been very outspoken on the difficulties about being a working-class actor, but puts quite a lot back into the system and does loads of stuff for young actors coming through.

Also, Dolly Parton who came from nothing and had given millions of dollars away to charitable causes and has changed thousands of lives. I have to say somebody like Malala Yousafzai, for example, who’s gone through what she’s gone through and still risks her life on a daily basis is quite extraordinary.

The same goes for Greta Thunberg, because she’s uncompromising and not afraid to face people down and say things that people don’t want to hear. I feel reassured sometimes when I see such extraordinary young people.

How would you like to be remembered?

For trying to be honest and genuine. And my proudest achievement is the work I’ve done as a teacher: that I’ve managed to make some people’s lives better by building up their confidence and giving them some transferable skills to take away.

As told to Wayne Brown, Volunteering Administrator. With grateful thanks to Kate Clayton-Hathway, and to all our wonderful volunteers.

More than 1,600 volunteers help us towards our vision of more nature everywhere, on our nature reserves, at our visitor and education centres, in our offices and more.

Find a volunteer opportunity near you