Greenpeace is forty years old this year and for eighteen of those I’ve been working in Supporter Services at Greenpeace UK.
It was my first “proper” job, and even though I’d been a Greenpeace supporter for years before that, little did I now then that eighteen years on I’d be sat for two days in a meeting room sorting, dressing and attaching chainsaws to 700+ Barbie dolls, or packing my rucksack for a glorious, sunny (honest!) Glastonbury? Or giving a legal briefing to activists before they head off into adventures? Or helping with climate team with a task involving some very messy glue?
And that’s just on top of a day’s work.
Supporter Services at Greenpeace process donations, look after our supporter records, and answer calls, letters and e-mails by the thousands. That’s my day job, and I feel incredibly privileged and humbled to be able to talk to and help our real life and on-line supporters and hear first-hand how much Greenpeace means to them. When I started here we had no e-mail, no Internet, and no Direct Debits. Instead we had an electric typewriter (with a temperamental fax machine for those really urgent responses). Oh, how times have changed.
And yet there are constants – the dedication and unbelievable knowledge of our campaigners, the commitment to peaceful direct action and independence, the boundless creativity, and the huge, palpable buzz in the office when a campaign or action hits full tilt. Hands up all those like me who are desperate to see the new Rainbow Warrior!
This year we’ve also taken on mail-outs for our active supporter networks and making sure you have all the campaign materials you need to spread the work and take action up and down the UK. So when you hear from me, please know that I’m incredibly proud of what you do and if I don’t bump in to you at the next festival/skillshare/action then I’ll see you on the one after that. With, or preferably, without Barbie.
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