Kirsten MacQuarrie has helped to raise over £4,000 for the animal welfare charity.
An “amazing” volunteer who has committed herself to raising money for the Scottish SPCA has been crowned Volunteer of the Year for 2026 at a national award ceremony.
Kirsten MacQuarrie, a chartered librarian from Glasgow, received the accolade as part of the Petplan and ADCH Animal Charity Awards – which were held on Thursday 7 May in Telford and hosted by TV personality Pete Wicks. She was selected out of 10,200 nominees.
Kirsten was inspired to start her volunteering journey with the animal welfare charity after adopting her late dog Gypsy from its Lanarkshire Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre back in 2016. She has since gone on to adopt Winnie and Shep.
Hailing Gypsy for transforming her life, Kirsten has been on a mission ever since to raise awareness of the vital work of the Scottish SPCA.
Speaking about her achievement, Kirsten said: “I am absolutely astonished – although in truth, I could hardly hear myself think over the cheers of the Scottish SPCA team! My fellow finalists, Leisha from Hayleys Angels and Carol from Cats Protection North Yorkshire, both do such outstanding work, I never expected to be the lucky one this time around.”
She added: “Without exaggeration, volunteering has changed my life for the better – not least because, without spending time helping out in the kennels of the Lanarkshire ARRC, I would never have met Winnie.
“My most important message to give is that volunteering needn’t and shouldn’t be seen as yet another thing on your already long to-do list – instead, it’s a secret weapon for finding purpose, exercising autonomy and knowing that your efforts in life are having a positive impact: in the case of the SSPCA, for the most vulnerable and voiceless creatures in our society.”
As part of her role as a Fundraising Volunteer, Kirsten has raised a whopping £4,300 for the charity by taking part in the Supernova 5K and championing the cause at a number of street collections and local community events. She has racked up almost 30 events – and has no plan to stop there.
The Scottish SPCA is a leading charity in animal welfare
Pete Wicks, host of the 2026 Petplan and ADCH Animal Charity Awards, said: “I am delighted that Kirsten has received this recognition. The Scottish SPCA is a leading charity in animal welfare, and I am so glad that the hours put in by people like Kirsten aren’t going unnoticed.
“I know I’m not alone in how I feel about animal welfare and I’m so glad that so many animals right across the country are being helped by such selfless volunteers.”
Volunteers are an integral part of the Scottish SPCA’s mission to make Scotland the best place in the world for an animal to call home. The charity currently has over 1,000 volunteers who help out in 40 different roles across the country – from home to online, and right in the heart of their communities.
So far, Scottish SPCA volunteers have contributed 10,550 hours of their time to helping Scotland’s animals in need – which is worth a massive £134,000 to the charity.
Inspired by Kirsten’s story? You could make a difference to Scotland’s animals by helping at just two events a year. Visit our website or get in touch at volunteers@scottishspca,org to find out more.
To report a concern of cruelty, visit our website.
