Sherkin Island Marine Station

[Johnny Redgate]

Does anyone have experience of volunteering at the Sherkin Island Marine Station? If so, was it a good experience and what did you get out of it? I remember seriously considering it 20 years ago but somehow managed to get a job instead. I'm probably too old now, but as I have more free time than I was expecting (redundancy) it might be something to consider.

[Johnny Redgate]

Oh well. Nobody been then.

[Picidae]

Johnny

Are you already working in the field of scientific research? Reading the website pages it looks as if they are a small and privately funded research station and the 'volunteers' are scientists who carry out specialist surveys. (I guess you'd have to be an ecologist/marine/land biologist with field work experience?). It's not open to the public. Are you sure they would take untrained volunteers?
Have you emailed them to find out if they do have a 'lay' volunteer team?

[RobSutton]

Originally Posted by Johnny Redgate

Does anyone have experience of volunteering at the Sherkin Island Marine Station? If so, was it a good experience and what did you get out of it? I remember seriously considering it 20 years ago but somehow managed to get a job instead. I'm probably too old now, but as I have more free time than I was expecting (redundancy) it might be something to consider.

Like you I considered doing it many years ago but ended getting a job somewhere else instead. At the time it sounded like quite a nice way for a newly qualified ecologist to spend a few months.

I have, in the past, met a couple of people who have volunteered there. They would have been newly qualified graduates at the time they volunteered and did say that they enjoyed their time out there. Unfortunately I'm not in contact with either of them any more so can't get any more information from them.

[Johnny Redgate]

Thanks for the replies. Yes Picidae, I am a qualified ecologist, just one at a bit of a loose end. I've always wondered how things might have been different if I'd gone to Sherkin in the 1980s (they offered me a place then) rather than the job at Birmingham Urban Wildlife Group. I think its probably time for me to just wise up and try to find some work instead of going back over the past . Thanks again.

[Claire Fifi]

Why not look for some other voluntary work in your local area? That way you can fit it around a wage-paying role elsewhere.