Volunteer Chris Swaine and his life of bees

BEES, CHICKENS AND WILDLIFE ARE MY PASSIONS NOW!

I decided to retire at the age of 56. My mantra has always been – well certainly in the past 10 years has been -  “you’re a long time dead” and “none of us are getting out of here alive”.  

Going from full-time paid employment to being retired, to building up our self-catering business, Doonbank Cottage and going from the paid to the unpaid; the safe to the unsafe and the known to the unknown….but it has all worked out and as a friend once told me, “you are only ever one decision away from your next decision”.So if you do make a decision that doesn’t work out, it just takes another decision.….but now I’m starting to blabber on like a crazy old man, so back to the job in hand….

Of course, I enjoyed work, mostly, and I have met and worked with some wonderful people, along with some absolute nut jobs! I won’t rant on about my working life as that’s dull and what LinkedIn is for!

But, for me -and being honest - what makes my heart really sing is not work. For me it’s watching and listening to over 30+ species of birds in the garden; watching the kingfishers and dippers; being amused by the deer and foxes; the peace and tranquility of the river; and managing our garden to the benefit of wildlife … and of course our wonderful chickens and bees.

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 Don’t ever give a beekeeper an inroad to talk to you about bees - you’ll never get away.  I won’t babble on - but I really do love my bees. They are truly incredible insects.

When we run our “The Wonderful World of Honey Bees(Beekeeping Experience)”  people are amazed about their complex life. There is always at least one person that ends up apologising to them … but this is a story for another day!

I have been involved in volunteering for over 40 years and with so many volunteering opportunities out there, it’s been really important to find the right fit, after all, it’s not just about the benefit to the organisation you are volunteering for, a lot is about what you personally gain from it.

A number of years ago, I volunteered with the amazing Ayrshire Coastal Path and a bunch of mainly older, crazy, folk led by the chief crazy, Jimmy Begg.  A magnificent team who do some amazing work along Ayrshire’s coastline. I also volunteer for the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Nectar Network, whose primary function is to design, build and maintain pollination sites in Ayrshire - from wildlife meadows and native hedge and tree planting, to hedge laying. Again, a fabulous group of folk of all ages, who have a passion for protecting and enhancing our environment.

When you look at the world today and the mess that our planet is in; what do we do as humans, and supposedly the most ‘sentient’ beings on the planet, is so sad. We destroy, kill, maim, hate, pollute etc. The 1982 Rio UNCED Summit’s strapline was “think global – act local”. So, acknowledging that we as individuals can’t change the world (although Trump and Putin seem both to be trying their hardest), we can make positive changes to our local environment -and that’s, in part, where the Alloway Tunnel Project comes to the fore.

So, picture a cold and driech day on the golf course three years ago. I’m there with my golfing partner, Ronnie ‘the rescue club’ Ireland. A few wayward shots, a few cheeky pars and a foursome intent on putting the world to rights, and then -from his lips blurbs out “we’re working on a project to do a community art project in the Alloway Tunnel. Since it’s at the bottom of your garden, do you fancy helping out”?

Now, over the years, I’ve seen many local “Community Art” projects, which mainly comprise some “hip and trendy” graffiti art with a trendy community worker and a group of kids. And, to be honest, the result is pretty c**p.

So, needless to say, I wasn’t particularly keen on helping. But if Ron doesn’t get you, he sets his wonderful wife, Mhairi, on you - and she is like Tigger from “Winnie the Pooh” - bouncy and full of energy and enthusiasm. A formidable team! I never stood chance.

Now, to be honest, I need to own up - I’m really just an occasional volunteer, who turns up when asked. I am not one of the amazing trustee and volunteer team that have spent literally thousands of hours getting it sorted (shout out to the unstoppable Billy boy ‘never sleeps’ McKinlay).  Nor am I the talented artist Chris Rutterford who has artistically led this project with immense skill, passion and enthusiasm. But I have cleaned and power washed walls and ceilings; painted undercoats and helped to hang the mural boards. You have no idea how much work has gone into this project.

By any standards, it is utterly incredible. The balance between professional artwork and community painted artwork is brilliant, along with the sheer number and range of contributions and diversity of support of all age groups. It really has achieved phenomenal local support.

It’s been quite amusing because at the beginning of the project when we were cleaning walls, the number of grumpy and negative comments from local folk walking through the tunnel was depressing. Now listen to them!!

Most of all -from being a dark gungy, stinky tunnel covered in graffiti, it is now, without doubt, a premier local attraction - and it’s all at the bottom of our garden. Who would have thought it?  

Of course, it now needs looking after. Could you offer an hour a month to help? And remember, if you waiver, we’ll set Mhairi and Ron on you!

Chris Swaine

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