‘I was only a volunteer’: an environmentalist’s journey through Kingston

An online seminar organised by the OHS’ Environment and Climate Crisis Special Interest Group

Presented by Mac Downes

Mac Downes writes:

As one of the themes of the Project was “Voices Less Heard”, I decided I wanted to focus my research on meeting people who often state “I was only a volunteer” and as a result often become excluded from narratives about the tasks they perform, skills they offer (or gain) and satisfactions they often receive from, or offer to, other community members. As one gentleman recently pointed out, he was not up to lying in the street in protest, thereby not making the news, but was interested in joining environmental causes that worked within the community and offered some environmental benefit.

During the summer of 2025 I interviewed 10 people and visited 7 groups and attended 3 meetings all related to environmental volunteering in the borough.  My greatest wish is that the following stories and personal reflections make an impact upon the ‘productivity at all costs’ juggernaut that contributes massively towards the adverse effects of climate change.

For joining details, please contact the ECC SIG Coordinator