Spotlight On Jim Watson
Jim spent his career nursing within various mental health roles. He retired 9 years ago, and immediately began volunteering.
Jim was approached by West Lothian Council's Advice Shop to deliver some Mental Health Awareness training to its volunteers. He invited one of the service users from Mental Health Advocacy to take part, and the training was very well received.
Following this, Jim attended a recruitment fair, keen to explore further volunteering opportunities. There, he met the Volunteer Development Worker for Macmillan @ West Lothian. Having been personally affected by cancer within his family, Jim felt motivated to give something back to Macmillan in appreciation for the care and support given to his sister during the later stages of her illness. Sadly, Jim's mum, brother-in-law, and sister all passed away from cancer.
At that time, Macmillan @ West Lothian was a new service. Jim completed the recruitment process and was successfully trained as an Information and Support Volunteer. He described the training as excellent and said the ongoing learning opportunities continue to be extremely valuable. Jim began volunteering in May 2016 and has never looked back. He is always among the first to offer assistance—attending conferences, covering for sickness and holidays, delivering training, and helping in many other ways.
Jim believes that both his professional experience and the training provided through Macmillan have helped him become an excellent listener when supporting people who visit the Information Hubs. Visitors come for a variety of reasons—some to ask about benefits, others to learn about local support services, and many simply to enjoy a cup of tea and a friendly chat.
In his spare time, Jim enjoys walking, cross-country skiing, going to the gym, and travelling. Despite his busy schedule, he still manages to dedicate 8 to 10 hours each week to his voluntary work between Macmillan @ West Lothian and Mental Health Advocacy.
Jim would wholeheartedly recommend volunteering. He values the opportunity to build positive relationships with service users and takes great satisfaction in knowing he has helped people through difficult times.
During Volunteers Week 2025, Jim was awarded Voluntary Sector Gateway's 'Volunteer of the Year' award for his his time and dedication to his role as a Macmillan volunteer.
