Essential information for all

Weekly Handa Volunteers

VOLUNTEERS form a vital part of the management of the island. There are usually two weekly volunteers each week from Aprilto September and an additional 6long-term placements (minimum one month) from April to August.

  • The minimum period of stay is one week.

We need your commitment for the whole week from Saturday to Saturday, though you can leave on the last boat on Friday if you wish. It is important that you arrive on Saturday so you have Sunday (a day off for everyone) to settle in and get to know the island before work begins on Monday morning, when the Ranger will give you an induction before the first boat arrives.

All volunteers are responsible to the seasonal Ranger who will provide day-to-day instructions and training. Your hours of work are usually 9am - 5pm, before and after which you are free to relax and explore the island.

  • Joint applications with a friend or partner are welcome.
  • You must have a good level of health and fitness.

This is because one of your two main duties is to help visitors from the boat using a portable landing “jetty”. This jetty is quite heavy and awkward and you will need to be able to move it up and down the beach all day.There is also a lot of walking to and from the shelter during beach duties and it’s a long way uphill to the bothy!

  • You must be willing to meet and interact with the public.

Your other main duty will be to make visitors feel welcome and to invite visitors to the shelter where you will give them an introductory talk about the island and its wildlife.

  • You must be prepared to live and work on a remote island, in very basic,shared, mixed-sex accommodation with occasionally hostile weather conditions.
  • Due to the remote nature of Handa and relatively confined living conditions, drunkenness will not be tolerated. The Ranger or responsible person will ask anyone found behaving unacceptably to leave on the next available boat.
  • We regret that we cannot accommodate pets on Handa

ACCOMMODATION is provided free of charge, in a two-roomed, stone-built bothy.

Both weekly volunteers sleep in single bunk beds located in a communal mixed-sexroom.This room is used by all weekly and long term volunteers, and any other staff or volunteers staying on the island, and is the cooking and social area. There is a gas cooker with four hobs and an oven, however use of the oven is limited in order to save gas. Crockery, cutlery and cooking utensils are all provided. There is also a wood burning stove and electric lighting. Next to this is a bunk room for longer term volunteers, and adjacent to this are two flushing toilets and a shower.Separate self-contained accommodation is also provided for the seasonal Ranger, however they also share the toilets and the shower.From time to time Scottish Wildlife Trust work parties spend a week on the island carrying out practical tasks.For much of the season, the bothy is a busy place!

  • The water on Handa is filtered and treated and safe to drink.
  • Hot water is a valuable resource so showers are very much limited(in order to save gas and filtered water).
  • There is no fridge on the island! Plan your food so that perishables are used up in the first few days.
  • The bothy has limited electricity from solar panels.Mobile phones can be charged and it is important that they remain so in case they are needed in an emergency on the island. If there is sufficient battery power then other devices may be charged, but this is not guaranteed!

PLEASE BRING as a minimum:

  • enough foodfor yourself for one week, including forpacked lunches everyday (please note that if you are travelling to Handa by public transport via Lairg or Ullapool, there will be no time to shop on the way)
  • sleeping bag, apillowcaseand afitted sheet for the mattress
  • warm and waterproofclothing (including waterproof trousers)
  • 2 sets of work clothing(thoughSWT fleeces and t-shirts will be provided for duration of your stay)
  • insect repellentand/or midge net(essential in July and August)
  • sun cream, sun hat and sun glasses
  • awatchand atorchwith plenty of battery life
  • sturdy footwear (boots or walking shoes)
  • waders are essential for working on the beach andSWT provide these. However, if you have particularly small or large feet, please check the availability of waders with the Ranger before you come.

HOW TO GET HERE

NB: You are responsible for your own travel arrangements. Please ensure that you make arrangements in good time.

Please aim to arrive at Tarbet Pier for around 2pm on the Saturday. If you are delayed, it is essential that you contact the Ranger so that they can let the ferry operators know. The Trust covers the ferry fare for its volunteers. When you arrive at Tarbet, please introduce yourself to the Ferry Operator (likely to be Roger) and let him know you’re a Weekly Volunteer. You’ll be working closely with him for your stay, so it’s a good a idea to start things off on a good note.

  • If driving, please allow sufficient time for your journey, bearing in mind that the roads are often slow during summer.If travelling via Lairg be aware that most of this route is single track. If you have applied on your own, please consider offering your co-volunteer a lift from Inverness! Your car can be safely left at Tarbet pier for the duration of your stay.
  • Public transport is very limited in the area!The main options are as follows:

-D&E Coaches bike bus Inverness-Durness A bus (D&E Coaches) runs from Inverness to Durness via Ullapool between mid May and the end of September. It leaves Inverness at 8.50am. It goes once a day in each direction. Ask the driver to let you off at the Handa/Tarbet junction about 5 minutes north of Scourie. This is the easiest option, but will probably require an overnight stay in Ullapool or Inverness both ways. When you arrive at the junction you will need to walk or hitch the 3 miles to Tarbet pier. If walking you will arrive at Tarbet pier around 2pm.

-Train to Lairg, thenDurnessBus to Scourie/ Tarbet road junction.

If you have any questions about getting to Handa ask the ranger well in advance of your placement!

LEAVING THE ISLAND

Please leave the accommodationbefore midday on your last day.

D&E coaches pick up mid-afternoon at the junction and at Scourie getting you to Inverness at 7.45pm.

Alternatively, we often find that another volunteer or day visitor will be able to give you a lift to Inverness or Ullapool.

ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS

Occasionally the weather is so severe that the boat will not run or will run a limited service. Always keep an eye on the forecast, and phone the Ranger the day before if the weather is looking poor. Always keep your phone on as the Ranger may need to contact you to advise of an earlier or later arrival.

COMMUNICATIONS

There are communication facilities on the island for emergency use only. There is a public phone at Tarbet and Scourie and the nearest post office and shop is at Scourie.

PLACEMENT ALLOCATION

You will receive confirmationby emailfrom the Volunteer development officeras soon as a place has been allocated to you. The Ranger will then contact you in person in April or May to again ask for you to confirm your attendance and see if everything is ok.Volunteers perform anessential role in the running of the reserve, so if you have applied and are confirmed but are unable to come or think it may be doubtful, please let both the Ranger and Volunteer development officerknow as soon as possible so we can find someone else to fill your place.

USEFUL CONTACTS

Handa Ranger /
07920 468572 - signal is patchyand text messages frequently get lost, so please phone and always leave a message if unable to speak to the Ranger directly.
Scottish Wildlife Trust Headquarters /
Tel: 0131 312 4732 and ask for the Volunteer development officer.
Scourie Shop & P.Office / 01971 502221
Durness Tourist Centre / 01971 511259
Handa ferry operators / Roger Tebay 07780 967800

Thank you for supporting the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

We hope you have a fantastic time on Handa!