Walking Mends My Mind

Park – Life Volunteer Spotlight: Liane McDonald – A place for Nature, Headspace & Fun.

At Dunnikier Country Park Development Group (DCPDG) our volunteers are the heartbeat of everything we do. This month we’re delighted to shine the spotlight on Liane McDonald – An Assessment & Review Practitioner with Fife Council and a dedicated member of our development group. Her love for nature, family, and community shines through in everything she does.

What inspires Liane to volunteer

Living just moments away from Dunnikier Country Park, Liane’s connection with the space began through peaceful dog walks. Despite its closeness to one of Kirkcaldy’s busiest roads, she found the park a haven—a place to reconnect with nature and enjoy some much-needed headspace. When her son turned one, Liane discovered the development group and felt inspired to join. She wanted to play a role in developing this special green space not just for her own family, but for the entire community.

Favourite volunteer memory

For Liane, the standout moments have been our family events. Last year’s Easter and Christmas celebrations hold a special place in her heart. Seeing children’s faces light up with excitement—and knowing she helped create that magic—is what makes volunteering truly rewarding for her.

Skills Liane brings to the team

Liane describes herself as a “jack of all trades, master of none,” always ready to pitch in where needed—digging, painting, decorating Christmas trees, setting up event spaces, and more. One of the biggest changes she’s noticed since joining the group is her growing confidence. Public-facing activities once felt daunting, but the support and encouragement from fellow volunteers have helped her step forward and feel the impact she’s making.

The Park’s positive Impact on the community

Liane loves seeing more and more people enjoying the park. Families exploring together, children playing, and visitors finding their own peaceful moment in nature—these are the signs of a thriving community space. For her, that’s the biggest positive impact the park brings.

Challenges ahead

Like many community initiatives, funding is the group’s greatest ongoing challenge. Still, Liane believes strongly in the dedication of the team and has full faith that together we can achieve everything we set out to do.

Favourite Spot in the Park

There isn’t a corner of the park Liane doesn’t enjoy, but two areas stand out:

• The play park, where she spends lots of time with her son
• The fairy garden, a peaceful retreat where she loves to sit quietly and watch for birds

These spaces capture the essence of what makes the park special—fun, tranquillity, and a touch of magic.

Encouraging more volunteers

For Liane, it all starts with sharing what the group has already achieved. Word of mouth makes a huge difference—when people see the transformation happening in the park, getting them involved as volunteers becomes much easier.

What Liane has learned through volunteering

Volunteering has introduced Liane to the rich history of Dunnikier Park and the Oswald family—something she may never have discovered otherwise, especially since she isn’t originally from Kirkcaldy.

Hopes for the future

Her hope is simple: keep going, keep improving the park, keep welcoming more visitors, and keep growing a space the whole community can enjoy.

Three words that describe what the park means Liane

Nature, headspace and fun.

Three simple words that beautifully sum up Lianes connection to Dunnikier Park

Park – Life written by Gary Meldrum.