Let's help.
Community volunteer, Louise Carson, volunteers for a diverse range of organisations – plus sets up her own where she sees a need.
'I’m part of a group working with Eco-Active to develop environmental education in schools, and I have been helping Plastic Free Jersey with a couple of projects including their beach clean boxes – every parish hall now has a box filled with everything a group needs to run a beach or lane clean. I am also delighted to be volunteering with Grow Jersey helping with social media and promotion.
Items that Louise constantly came across when running a recycling scheme were buckets, spades and beach toys, so the idea of Borrow a Bucket was born. 'We have 12 Borrow a Bucket boxes on beachfronts around the island containing preloved toys for kids and adults to use on our beaches and then return to our boxes for others to use.'
Alongside her colleague, Viki Lucas, Louise runs the Jersey Sustainable Period Products Project providing every pupil in year 6 with an eco-friendly period pack, plus raising awareness of these products to open conversation with younger girls.
Then in 2023 Louise put a shout-out on volunteer.je for crafters to make items to sell to raise funds for charity, and due to the response, the new initiative, Jersey Crafters for Charity, sells items at markets and events to raise funds for nominated charities.
Lou now also helps source volunteers for other charities. 'Volunteering is life-changing, and I would recommend it to anyone. Making small changes to your lifestyle by helping others is incredibly rewarding. Give it a go and surprise yourself! It’s those small changes we can all make that really add up.'
