Alan takes home trophy from volunteer awards

Bridges Project volunteer Alan Hamilton was named Environmental & Education Volunteer of the Year at the 2023 East Lothian Inspiring Volunteer Awards.

Alan’s volunteering with Bridges Project started in 2022, when he stepped in at the last minute to walk the 14-mile Kiltwalk fundraising event for the charity. A few months after, he signed up to deliver numeracy sessions to young people for Bridges Project’s Build You Up construction employability programme.  

The numeracy sessions were hugely successful and were the main reason Educational Support Worker Sam Lamond, who delivers the Build You Up programme as part of the Support2Thrive service, nominated Alan for the award.

The Inspiring Volunteer Awards ceremony, organised by Volunteer Centre East Lothian, was held at the Fraser Centre in Tranent on 2 June. Alan was shortlisted for the Environmental & Education Volunteer of the Year category alongside Heather Barcroft and Teresa Cowan. When Martin Whitfield MSP opened up the winner’s envelope, it was his name that was on it!

“It means quite a lot. It meant a lot just to be nominated by Sam and Bridges Project,” said Alan.

“It validates that the contribution I made has been useful, which is the main thing for me.”

The Haddington resident, who recently retired, enjoys volunteering with Bridges Project.

“It has been nice to meet young people again as it has been a long time since I was a young person myself and a long time since my children were young people!” he said.

The awardee is also happy with the way young people have responded to the numeracy sessions he has delivered.

“It has been nice to see that they have taken on board the knowledge I have shared with them and to see that kids are just like they have always been!” said Alan.

Alan’s nominator is delighted with the recognition he received by winning the award and she believes it is fully deserved. Sam, whose Support2Thrive service is funded by the Robertson Trust, says Alan’s ability to relate to young people and the impact of his sessions have been remarkable.

 “All of the young people attending Build You Up come from disadvantaged backgrounds and many of them do not have a male role model in their lives. By being taught about numeracy in a practical and relatable way by a man who has had a successful life and career, the young people now have a male role model they can look up to. It has been evident that the young people have been inspired by Alan’s life story,” said the Educational Support Worker.

Sam thinks it is particularly inspiring to see Alan choosing to use his retirement to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“He could easily have put his feet up after a long, fulfilling and successful career. However, he feels he is in a position to give back to the community and that is exactly what he has done,” she said.

Alan was not the only Bridges Project representative at the Inspiring Volunteer Awards ceremony. The charity’s Listening Peers team, funded by the Corra Foundation’s Partnership Drugs Initiative and Midlothian and East Lothian Drugs and Alcohol Partnership (MELDAP), was also shortlisted for the Volunteer Team of the Year category for their peer mentoring work with young people affected by family substance use. However, they had to see Venturing Out’s Volunteer Outdoor Learning Team take home the award. Being shortlisted was nevertheless a massive achievement and it was overall a very successful and proud night for Bridges Project at the Inspiring Volunteer Awards ceremony!