To acknowledge the considerable contribution volunteers make to a wide range of organisations and causes across Scotland – something we’re acutely aware of at Planning Aid Scotland, thanks to our fantastic cohort of volunteers – staff have been given a new allowance enabling them to volunteer two days of their time during work hours. This gives our staff the opportunity to volunteer for roles outside the organisation.

To celebrate this change and get to know one of our staff members a little better, we spoke to Kim, our Communications & Design Officer, who has just spent a couple of weeks looking after a unicorn. Yes, you read that right – read on to find out more!

Tell us a bit about yourself – what do you like to do in your free time?

I’m Kim. I live on the west coast overlooking the Clyde. I grew up in England and studied Geography at university. I’ve been at Planning Aid Scotland for just over three years. I work alongside my colleague Marina on communications – social media, website, newsletter – and I also provide graphic design support. In my free time I enjoy dancing, predominantly ballet.

How did you get involved in volunteering?

Over the years I’ve volunteered for various charities, but more recently I’ve been lucky enough to volunteer at several big events. A few years ago, I volunteered for Oxfam at a festival, and I was a volunteer dancer for the opening and closing ceremonies at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022. I grew up around the Midlands, and my dad is from Birmingham, so it was a really special celebration of the area and a unique experience – I met so many talented and kind people from all backgrounds and ages. I enjoyed it so much that I applied again when I heard Glasgow was looking for volunteers to support its hosting of the Commonwealth Games.

What was your role?

This time the role was a little different. I was placed in the Marketing and Communications Team, which was in charge of a VVIP – Finnie, the official mascot! Finnie is a unicorn dreamt up by children and young people from across Glasgow. The level of detail in her design is really impressive – she has stars from the Barrowland Ballroom, pink and purple hair from the Hydro, an earring inspired by the Glasgow Coat of Arms, a horn inspired by a traffic cone, and a nod to her predecessor, Clyde, who was the mascot in 2014.

Our role as Mascot Chaperones was to be ‘best friends’ to Finnie – making sure she got to where she needed to go, keeping her safe (she had strict work and rest times), capturing content for social media, and interacting with the public who came to meet her. What I love about volunteering is that you get unique experiences, meet people you’d never normally meet, and learn new skills. I never dreamt I’d be babysitting a unicorn!

What did you learn?

Unicorns have a lot of energy and can skip very, very fast. Across my shifts it was a lot of walking, interacting with the public, and early starts navigating the city. I got to see behind the scenes of a major sporting event and visited nearly all of the venues during my time. My favourite part was just sharing the experience with a fascinating mix of people. In-person events like this really help restore your faith in humanity – there are so many wonderful people out there, and I was privileged to meet just a small sample of them. From the volunteer I met on a train who had been doing a lot of laminating, to the volunteers I chatted to over lunch who were helping with anti-doping, to the security guard I met who was also studying a PhD in robotics in Aberdeen – there was such a wide range of roles and backgrounds. Everyone I met was friendly, upbeat and had something positive to contribute, no matter what role they’d been allocated.

The other thing I learnt a lot about was a world I knew nothing about – mascots. Talking to the performers was fascinating, and they were very generous with their time. They were a mix of ages, professional backgrounds and experience levels, but they all had great energy. Finnie is a mascot for everyone, and she never once missed a high five, fist bump or hug, no matter who was asking – old, young, volunteer, staff, visitor or athlete.

What was your favourite moment?

There were many highlights, but I think my favourite was standing in the centre of the velodrome watching the cyclists go past. It’s not a sport I knew much about, but that experience has definitely piqued my interest – the speed, angle of the slope, everything was so impressive, and I don’t think watching it on TV gives you the full experience.

I also enjoyed walking the athletic track with Finnie before the session started – she was hyping up the crowds and got plenty of smiles on a dreary day. Later, we stood outside the front of Scotstoun Stadium taking photos and met multiple medal winners and their families – from a man who was shaking with pride after his son won a gold medal in Para Track Cycling, to a woman on FaceTime with her whole community in Australia, celebrating a relative’s win. It was an honour to witness these moments.

The legacy of the Games

I also met a lot of people who had volunteered or worked at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014. It was great to see that legacy, and how some of the infrastructure was reused this time around. Glasgow stepped in at short notice to host the Games after Victoria, in Australia, pulled out due to rising costs. There was a real push to be more sustainable by utilising existing venues, accommodation and buildings.

One of the buildings used as headquarters was a B-listed building from the early 20^th century on Bothwell Street. It started life as the headquarters of a very different organisation, the Scottish Legal Life Assurance Society, and will soon be repurposed as a hotel. It was fascinating to see and hear how the building has been used over the years, and it was great to get a glimpse inside.

Final thoughts?

Overall, it was a great experience and something I’d love to do again. I know it takes a lot of time, and I feel privileged to have been able to take part. Planning Aid Scotland was very supportive, and having the volunteering allowance definitely made it more possible. If you can, I think it’s important to embrace opportunities like this – I learnt a lot, and hope I contributed positively to someone’s experience of Glasgow and the Games.