Carnegie Residents Action Group (CRAG) in Edinburgh’s Southside

From 2017 until 2019, I participated in establishing and acting as the Secretary for a residents’ group to advocate for improvements in our mixed-tenure building in Edinburgh’s Southside. Our goal was to represent the interests of all Carnegie Court residents by voicing ongoing concerns for the health, safety and maintenance of our community. Assisted by the Edinburgh Tenants Federation and local Edinburgh Councillors, we created a constitution in early 2018. In late 2019, I relocated to a new area of Edinburgh and my term as Secretary came to an end.

Children’s Hospices Across Scotland

In late 2016, I had the unique opportunity to be part of a great initiative with the Children’s Hospice Association of Scotland (@SupportCHAS) in projects to help research and advise on the concept of employee wellbeing . By interviewing a number of employees within both hospices and the head office, my findings informed the Director of Organisational Development regarding the concept, status and potential of employee wellbeing within CHAS operations. I have also participated in drafting the findings from in-house surveys to help inform best policy practices. Currently, I’m conducting policy research and drafting briefs for the Chief Executive on various aspects of children’s rights and welfare throughout Scotland and the UK. The great people at CHAS are fabulous and really help me better understand how charities operate and the ways they impact local communities.

Chelsea’s Races

In May and June 2017, May 2018, May 2019, & May 2021, I ran 5k and 10k races with the Edinburgh Marathon Festival and Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life! Due to the support of various friends and family, I was able to raise £392 for Cancer Research UK in May 2018. These races were awesome experiences and hopefully I can continue to do some more in the future.

Second World War Society, Edinburgh Student’s Union Association

At the beginning of my PhD, I was nominated to be the President for the Second World War society. It was a small extracurricular group, comprised mostly of history nerds and enthusiasts. We had regular meetings to discuss aspects of Second World War history, movie nights, and even a few successful pub quizzes. It was an excellent way to meet others, especially undergraduates, who had a keen interest in the period.

Air Force Museum of Alberta, The Military Museums

Between 2008 and 2010, I volunteered for the Air Force Museum of Alberta, within the Military Museums, the largest armed forces museum in Western Canada. I volunteered in their collections room, managing the numerous and diverse range of artefacts that were donated to the museum. By accessioning, cataloguing and researching the plethora of objects in our care, I reported to the Head Curator and Executive Board which helped them to create the best policies in museum governance and other long-term strategic purchases. I also acted as a gallery host and helped with off-site exhibitions. It was an excellent way to learn how the Royal Canadian Air Force operated during the war, and the various daily challenges they endured. As a result of this experience, I chose the Battle of Britain as my masters thesis topic.