If you love it, look after it #alvaglenheritagetrust

As many of you will know I moved to Scotland some years ago to ‘live a life fantastic’. Don’t get me wrong life was already pretty good but I realised that living in London no longer gave me the satisfaction it once had and so as I looked down the glen at Alva I proposed a move to Scotland for my family.

Alva Glen has been so intrinsically linked to my time in Scotland – it was where we decided that Scotland was for us, it was where we hike in the Ochils, it’s where we go canyoning and most recently it was where we finally got married.

Alva is a special place and so a couple of Sundays ago I finally got round to doing something to give a bit back – I went out to help clean up and manage the Glen I love so dearly. It was through the Alva Heritage Trust, a group of wonderful and dedicated volunteers, that I found this opportunity to help. We’d met them the day we had our wedding photographs done and I’d said that day that we would love to help and so on a cool but wonderful November morning we met up with the group and offered our support.

It was a wonderful experience with volunteers old and new and everybody was made to feel incredibly welcome. I didn’t think I was going to be much use given that I need shoulder surgery but I figured I could mostly cheer from the sidelines and offer my support to the GingaNinja and ASK as I’d convinced them to join me too.

The team were very well organised and the more experienced volunteers paired up with the new people and once tasks were assigned we set off to work in the glen, sweeping, planting, moving, clearing and all manner of other tasks that would help to keep the Glen clean and clear.

It really was a magical experience to be able to start giving a little something back and the volunteers were all brilliant and incredibly welcoming.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time sweeping the steps and the area around the final waterfall, as well as a bit of clearing up debris from the closer to the car park, the sense of achievement was very tangible and seeing my daughter get stuck in really made me proud. As parents we’ve worked really hard to give ASK an understanding of the value of nature by taking her to it at every opportunity but this was different, working with the heritage trust allowed her to understand that we have to work to keep these places in good condition.

Volunteering and giving something back is something we should all do I feel and I haven’t done it enough in recent years and so I’ll be going back to Alva to help out again (hopefully in December). What I’d say is that if you’ve got a chance to help out somewhere and make a difference, then do it, it doesn’t have to be at Alva Glen, it could be a little closer to home – but supporting your community or a place you love will provide a deep sense of satisfaction. Of course if you are local to Alva then I’m sure the heritage trust would welcome you with open arms and you can find out more about their work here.

If the pandemic taught us anything it is that there is a need for community and that we are stronger by pulling together than we ever will be by pulling ourselves apart. The Alva Glen Heritage Trust epitomises that sense of community that I’m talking about. So what are you waiting for? Go find your bit of community and enjoy!

All photographs taken by the Alva Glen Heritage Trust