The Volunteers by Carol Donaldson

Welcome to Halfman, Halfbook for my stop on the Blog Tour for The Volunteers by Carol Donaldson and published by Summersdale.

About the Book

When Carol’s world suddenly unravels, leaving her single and jobless, she stumbles upon an unexpected opportunity: leading a ragtag team of countryside conservation volunteers. At first glance, the prospect of nurturing Britain’s diverse wildlife in the great outdoors seems like a dream come true. However, reality paints a different picture: her office is a ramshackle porta- cabin overrun with mice and plagued by leaky ceilings, and the volunteers are far from impressed with her lack of practical skills.
Despite this rocky beginning, Carol gradually earns the respect of her eclectic group of volunteers, forging a tight-knit community that will grow to become essential to each member. This diverse group spans generations, from twenty-somethings to septuagenarians, with each of them looking to get something different out of volunteering, whether it’s a sense of purpose, a fresh start in life or a tick on their community service form. They also bring their unique quirks and life experiences to the mix.
Volunteer days soon evolve into the highlight of Carol’s week, as they bond over their love of nature, mental health battles, and the desire for companionship. As they work together outdoors, the team discover a simple yet powerful recipe for self-confidence, improved well- being and a newfound perspective on life’s challenges. This journey not only brings solace and new joys to Carol’s weeks, but eventually it helps her move on with her life, too.
The Volunteers is a heartwarming tale that celebrates the redemptive force of the woods and wildlife. It underscores the universal need for belonging and illustrates how, even in the most unexpected places, we can find a community to call our own.

About the Author

Carol Donaldson is a writer and naturalist. Originally from Essex, she has worked for many of Britain’s best wildlife charities and currently works as a freelance ecologist advising farmers across Kent and Essex to restore wetlands and rivers and manage land for waders. Her first book, On the Marshes, was published by Little Toller in 2017. She is a regular contributor to the Guardian travel pages and was BBC Wildlife Magazine’s Travel Writer of the Year in 2011. Carol lives in a very old and slightly crumbling house in Kent and enjoys wild swimming and dancing the Argentine Tango.

My Review

Donaldson’s plans had come to an abrupt end one Christmas Eve when she found out about her partner’s affair. He unkindly told her that it had been over for ages, but didn’t even think that it might have been the right thing to do and mention it to her before…

To add to her woes was her employment situation. It was a massive blow to her self-confidence and she was unsure of the route to take. She was sitting counting geese, a little freelance work that she had picked up, when her phone rang, It was the guy who had interviewed her last week and her was offering her the job. The money wasn’t what she was hoping for, but he wasn’t going to budge on that, but it was something. She accepted.

Her main task in the new position would be to manage the volunteers for the Kingsdown Partnership. The people would be looking after the habitats on council-owned land. She would be working out of a pretty dilapidated set of portacabins that leaked a lot and had a bit of a problem with mice.

The people that she was responsible for were a motley crew. They came from a range of different backgrounds. A lot of them were troubled in some way or other, with their own backstories and often a lot of baggage. However, this new role was a steep learning curve.

But they were a good bunch and mostly all seemed to get along. They could teach her as much as she could teach them. They didn’t take long to accept her. They had particular skills they were good at and she had to learn who was best at doing what task. That balance of skills and working with each other’s strengths and weaknesses meant they grew stronger and could support each other through the ups and downs of modern life.

What wasn’t helping her was her new boss… He wants her to clear her to-do list each month but is continually adding things to it without caring how long things take and not realising that it is an almost impossible task to do everything. As the portacabin collapses around them, it all comes to a head one day and she is signed off for two weeks.

Donaldson doesn’t know if she will have a job at the end. And if she doesn’t she is really going to miss her team of volunteers.

This is a touching story of a bunch of people from a diverse range of backgrounds coming together for society and the natural world and most importantly for each other. It is a story about friendships, companionship and mutual support and is full of life’s joys and tragedies. It will make you smile and maybe cry a little as you read it. I really liked it and can thoroughly recommend it.

Don’t forget to visit the other blogs on the blog tour

Buy this at your local independent bookshop. If you’re not sure where your nearest is then you can find one here

My thanks to Anne of Random Things Tours for the copy of the book to read.