Dedicated Prestwick volunteer left speechless seconds before meeting top royal
A voluntary worker has revealed how she was left speechless... seconds before meeting HRH The Princess Royal to collect an award.
Margaret Milligan, from Prestwick, was personally honoured with an award by The Princess at Victim Support Scotland's annual volunteering conference in Glasgow.
The Princess Royal, who is the Patron of the charity, visited to celebrate Volunteers' Week 2025 as well as Victim Support Scotland's 40th anniversary.
Margaret won the Volunteer Impact Award, having been nominated and voted on by VSS colleagues and service users.
'I couldn't believe it when my name was read out,' she said. 'I was truly speechless, which is most unlike me!
'And what an honour to be presented by The Princess Royal, I'm well chuffed.'
Staff and volunteers were also praised for their long service, receiving awards for five years all the way up to an incredible 28 years as a volunteer and 35 as a staff member.
The Princess Royal warmly addressed all attendees, commending them for the support offered to victims of all crimes across Scotland for the past 40 years, and for the many years to come.
The festival focused on celebrating volunteering at VSS and the positive impact volunteers have on the lives of people impacted by crime.
Staff and volunteers took part in workshops designed to improve wellbeing, communication, and mentoring skills.
James Whyte, Head of Volunteering at Victim Support Scotland, said: 'It was a real treat for our volunteers to meet The Princess Royal, and we are incredibly grateful for the support she has shown as our Patron and the interest taken in the vital support we provide to people impacted by crime in Scotland.
'This festival focused on celebrating the amazing contribution of our volunteers and the staff who support them every day.
'Our volunteers are often supporting people going through the most difficult time in their lives, and at VSS we want to let them know that they are appreciated and valued - not only by the people we support, but by the entire organisation.'
Victim Support Scotland is an independent, volunteer-led charity that provides emotional, practical, and trauma-informed support to individuals and families dealing with the impact of any type of crime in Scotland.
Volunteers guide victims and witnesses through the court process, provide emotional support, signpost specialist services, or simply listen to people who often feel isolated and unheard in the criminal justice system.
VSS has volunteers in communities across Scotland offering in-person support, alongside a helpline and webchat service that can provide support remotely.
The other award winners were: Rachel Duncan - Spirit of VSS (Lochgelly) and Julie Farish - New Volunteer (Cumbernauld).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Rare shrill carder bee spotted at Bridewell Common nature reserve
One of the UK's rarest species of bees has been spotted at a south Wales nature reserve for the first first shrill carder bee has been recorded at Bridewell Common reserve on the Gwent and west Wales are among only a few spots in the UK where the bees, one of the rarest and most threatened types of bumblebee, are found - with other fragmented populations in parts of Kent, Essex, Somerset, Wildlife Trust (GWT) volunteer Bob Roome, who spotted the queen bee foraging on the organisation's reserve, said it was "so rewarding" to see the team's work to restore wildlife to the area paying off. GWT took over the reserve six years ago and has been taking action to help the shrill carder bee on the site, including spreading seed-rich hay to propel progression of wildflower species, establishing a consistent regime of late summer cutting and grazing management, and restoring species is named after the high-pitched buzz it makes when airborne. Once common in the lowlands, it vanished from most places during the 20th GWT said 98% of flower-rich meadows in Wales and England had been lost over the past century, drastically reducing habitats where the shrill carder bee and other wildlife could thrive.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- The Guardian
‘Serve me these with an aperitivo immediately': the best (and worst) supermarket salted crisps
'What I've learned today,' says my friend Lucy, stepping firmly away from the crisp buffet, 'is that you can have too much of a good thing.' My volunteer testers and I were enthusiastic about the prospect of tasting our way through 10 types of lightly salted, crisply fried potato, but we all agreed, once they were laid out side by side in anonymous bowls, that it was surprisingly hard to differentiate between them. That said, good news: every single one had its cheerleaders, so there were no real duds in this sample. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. To outline what I'm looking for from a salted crisp, it should be crisp, obviously. To this end, all the bags were opened at the same time, just before the blind tasting. Salt levels are a matter of personal preference, though it should be upfront rather than a mere seasoning, while, in an ideal world, the potatoes themselves would be the primary flavour, rather than a mere texture. They should be cooked long enough that they crunch, rather than melt between the teeth, but it's a delicate balance: too long in the oil and they'll be bitter. And that oil – if you can taste it at all – should be pleasant: too strong a flavour, even of the best fat, will overpower the spuds. Last, crisps should be dangerously moreish: if you can eat one and stop, they're not good crisps. ★★★★☆ The most divisive crisps of the day, with marks ranging from one (Rose, seven, and representing the youth vote) to five (me). Noticeably yellow, thanks to the extra-virgin olive oil they're cooked in (which, unlike the Himalayan pinkness of the salt, comes through in the flavour, hence, perhaps, the loss of the kid vote), they prompt the demand: 'Serve me these with an aperitivo immediately: crunch, salt, good oil – YES.' Sadly, these Andalusian crisps have a far higher fat content than any of the others tested. One for picking at elegantly over a chilled glass of sherry. ★★★★☆ Though some find them a little undersalted, these chunky crisps' 'classic flavour' finds favour, with several testers noting with excitement that they 'actually taste of potato!' While the comments section attracts several variations on 'mid-range' (Rose judges them merely 'OK'), the decent flavour and excellent crunch make this a great value choice. ★★★☆☆ Rose finds these too crunchy, but that very quality appeals to the person who says they'd be perfect for a hangover. 'Nice enough,' someone else says, 'but surprised not to find one I like more.' That sums these up – a decent, aggressively crunchy crisp with a high salt content, but missing that elusive potatoey flavour. ★★★☆☆ 'Perfectly fine,' one tester finds, before admitting: 'Actually quite moreish.' Someone else judges them 'generic'. Thin and crisp, which divides opinion, from 'nothing to them' to 'better – lighter!', Rose judges them 'too spicy', but I rather like their saltiness and the fact that – hurrah! – they taste of baked potato. I'd buy these again. ★★★☆☆ Cooked skin on, which gives them a decent potatoey flavour. There are a few slightly sweet, caramelised ones in here, suggesting an older potato, but in general these are crunchy, well-balanced crisps that would perform well in most situations, from festival pre-drinks to family picnics. 'Middle of the road,' as Rob observes. Sign up to The Filter Get the best shopping advice from the Filter team straight to your inbox. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. after newsletter promotion ★★★☆☆ Fun fact: I once visited the Kettle Chips factory in Norwich and was allowed to cook a kettle of crisps, so I can confirm that, as the packet suggests, they are indeed hand fried in small batches. They're not my favourite, though, even when cooked by the pros – I find these a bit greasy, while other testers judge them 'blah' and 'cardboardy … does not break when you bite in'. Several testers say they 'need more salt', but I'll let them off, given they're described only as lightly salted (always a red flag for me). ★★☆☆☆ 'Bang average' sums up the response to these. 'Wouldn't put out for guests.' Rose finds them 'too bitey' (they are, it must be said, very crisp), someone else finds them 'bland', and several tasters say they feel 'cheap' and 'basic', which is not reflected in the price. Disappointing. ★★☆☆☆ These apparently taste as if 'they were opened last night'. 'A bit stale,' someone else agrees. 'Wrong texture, dense.' Personally, I like a thicker crisp, but these are a little too chewy and even I find them a touch salty, though, checking the labels afterwards, they contain less salt than some of the others, so maybe it's just that the flavour is more intense. Might be better served with a creamy dip to balance this out. ★★☆☆☆ 'Too thick, like eating greasy batter out of the bottom of the chip paper, and not in a good way,' one tester says, and although I love a thicker crisp, I'm inclined to agree – these are a bit tough, rather than snappy, and taste, as Rose notes, 'too oily'. ★★☆☆☆ Rose, who confides in me that these are the only crisps she knows, picks them out from the lineup in seconds – they're far paler and more uniform than the others – but even she's not that enthusiastic. 'Not crunchy enough' is a common complaint, while someone else thinks they're so light, they're almost 'a health snack'. The final damning verdict comes from Claire: 'An anaemic pub crisp. Fine with a cold pint, otherwise lacking.'
BBC News
28-07-2025
- BBC News
Spurn Lighthouse in need of volunteer with 'head for heights'
Nature lovers with "a head for heights" are being sought to volunteer at a remote lighthouse with vistas out over the North Wildlife Trust (YWT) said it was looking for 10 keepers to work at the 128ft-high (39m), Grade II listed lighthouse at Spurn National Nature successful candidates would serve as "a beacon of knowledge" to visitors at weekends and during school holidays, by sharing the area's history through storytelling, the trust six-storey Victorian lighthouse at Spurn Point was built in the 1890s but ceased operating in 1985. It was fully restored by 2016 and is now a tourist attraction. In a YWT promotional video, Lin Sunderland, who is a lighthouse volunteer, said: "To be inside a lighthouse is going back in time, they save so many lives."Other duties also include opening and setting up the lighthouse, as well as welcoming trust said it was looking for 10 more individuals to join its 10-strong volunteering team. Those interested need to have a "good level of physical fitness" to take on the role due to the building's "several flights of narrow stairs".Spurn Point attracts thousands of visitors each year with the lighthouse being a "unique historical structure and one of the key highlights" of nature reserve, the trust said. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices
