Contributions of Moray Council volunteers celebrated

The nationwide campaign highlights the vital role volunteers play across the country, while encouraging more people to get involved.  

Hundreds of people volunteer through Moray Council in a range of ways, including working with young people, as befrienders and providing support to people who have difficulties with reading, writing and numbers. 

11-year-old Jude volunteers as a Young Leader through Active Schools.  

Alongside coaching, he produces inspiring social media videos – some of which have gone viral, having been viewed tens of thousands of times. The Active Schools team have directly attributed them to encouraging participation.  

He said: “Volunteering means a lot to me. I don’t know if people realise how many different sides to it there are. I really enjoy coaching, but when I mentioned to senior coaches that I had an interest in social media, they created opportunities for me to make videos. 

“This has been great, and it has really helped me develop new skills and build confidence.” 

Elaine Macphee volunteers with the Moray Gaelic Group. 

Last year, the group was contacted through social media by a carer looking for volunteers who could speak Gaelic with an elderly man in their care, who no longer had anyone around him to talk with in the language. 

He now has regular visits from them and enjoys speaking Gaelic.  

She said: “The key thing about volunteering is that it’s an opportunity to make a difference, and that has a positive effect not only on the person you are helping, but on you as an individual.  

“It’s a very worthwhile part of my week, and I would recommend it to anyone. You might think that you don’t have the time – but it doesn’t have to be time consuming. You can donate as much of your time as you are able to.  

“What you’ll find though, is that once you start volunteering, you’ll end up making time for it as it’s an incredibly fulfilling thing to do.” 

Moray Council Leader, Cllr Kathleen Robertson, said: “Moray Council volunteers give something that can’t be measured in hours or statistics – they give their time, their energy and often their friendship.  

“What’s particularly remarkable is the way they go about their volunteering without any expectation of recognition - they do it simply because they care. Volunteers’ Week, however, is a time to give our volunteers that acknowledgement. Thank you for all that you do, it is genuinely inspiring.” 

To find out more about volunteering at Moray Council, click here. 

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Obair saor-thoilich Comhairle Mhoireibh air a comharrachadh 

Tha Comhairle Mhoireibh a’ dèanamh luaidh air dìcheall agus buaidh saor-thoilich na sgìre, gus Seachdain nan Saor-thoileach 2026 (1-7 Ògmhios) a chomharrachadh.   

Tha an iomairt nàiseanta a’ cur cuideam air an obair chudromaich a bhios saor-thoilich air feadh na dùthcha a’ dèanamh, agus aig an aon àm a’ brosnachadh barrachd dhaoine gus a bhith an sàs ann.  

Tha ceudan de dhaoine nan saor-thoilich aig Comhairle  Mhoireibh ann an grunn dhòighean, leithid a bhith ag obair còmhla ri daoine òga, a bhith nan caraidean do dhaoine agus a’ toirt taic dhaibhsan aig a bheil duilgheadasan le leughadh, sgrìobhadh agus àireamhan. 

Tha Jude, 11 bliadhna a dh'aois, na shaor-thoileach mar Cheannard Òg tro Sgoiltean Gnìomhach.  

Cho math ri coidseadh, bidh e a’ dèanamh bhideothan brosnachail air na meadhanan sòisealta  – cuid dhiubh air a dhol bhìoral, às dèidh dhaibh a bhith air am faicinn deichean de mhìltean de thursan. Tha sgioba Sgoiltean Gnìomhach air a ràdh gu bheil iad a' cur gu dìreach ri brosnachadh compàirteachaidh.  

Thuirt e: “Tha obair shaor-thoileach a’ ciallachadh tòrr dhomhsa. Chan eil fhios agam a bheil daoine a’ tuigsinn an uiread rudan eadar-dhealaichte a tha na lùib. Is toil leam a bhith a’ coidseadh, ach nuair a dh’innis mi do na h-àrd-choidsichean gu robh ùidh agam anns na meadhanan sòisealta, chruthaich iad cothroman dhomh bhideothan a dhèanamh. 

“Abair gu bheil seo air a bhith math, agus tha e air mo chuideachadh gu mòr le bhith a’ leasachadh sgilean ùra agus a’ togail misneachd.” 

Bidh Elaine Nic a’ Phì ag obair gu saor-thoileach le Buidheann Ghàidhlig Mhoireibh agus Ionnsachadh is Leasachadh Coimhearsnachd. 

An-uiridh, chuir neach-cùraim fios chun na buidhne tro na meadhanan sòisealta a’ sireadh shaor-thoileach a b’ urrainn Gàidhlig a bhruidhinn ri seann duine fo an cùram, aig nach robh duine sam bith mun cuairt air tuilleadh a bhruidhneadh ris sa chànan. 

Bidh iad a’ tadhal air gu cunbhalach a-nis agus is toil leis a bhith a’ bruidhinn na Gàidhlig.  

Thuirt i: “Is e am prìomh rud mu obair shaor-thoileach gur e cothrom a th’ ann diofar a dhèanamh, agus tha buaidh mhath aig sin, chan ann a-mhàin air an neach a tha thu a’ cuideachadh, ach ort fhèin.”  

 “’S e pàirt air leth luachmhor den t-seachdain agam a th’ ann, agus mholainn e do dhuine sam bith. ’S dòcha gum bi thu a’ smaoineachadh nach eil an tìde agad – ach cha leig e leas mòran tìde a thoirt bhuat. Faodadh tu an uiread tìde ’s as urrainn dhut a thoirt seachad.  

“Ach, chì thu, nuair a thòisicheas tu air obair shaor-thoileach, gun dèan thu tìde air a shon air sgàth na buannachd a gheibh thu às.”  

Thuirt Ceannard Comhairle Mhoireibh, an Comhairliche Kathleen Robertson: “Bidh saor-thoilich Comhairle Mhoireibh a’ toirt seachad rudeigin nach gabh a thomhas ann an uairean no staitistig – bidh iad a’ toirt seachad an ùine, an neart agus gu tric an càirdeas.  

“Is e an rud a tha gu sònraichte iongantach an dòigh anns a bheil iad a’ dèanamh na h-obrach gun dùil ri aithne sam bith – bidh iad ga dèanamh dìreach air sgàth ’s gu bheil iad airson cuideachadh. Ach, ’s e Seachdain nan Saor-thoileach an t-àm airson an aithne sin a thoirt dha na saor-thoilich againn. Tapadh leibh airson a h-uile rud a tha sibh a’ dèanamh, tha e na bhrosnachadh dhuinn uile.” 

Gus tuilleadh fhaighinn a-mach mu obair shaor-thoileach aig Comhairle Mhoireibh, cliogaibh an seo.