Be Part of Something Good

Make rural health equity real

Atlas runs on the commitment of people who believe that where you live should not determine how well-informed you are about your own health.

Get Involved

Whether you have an afternoon a fortnight to spare, a skill you would like to put to use, or simply a conviction that rural health equity matters, there is a way for you to be part of what we do. Our work is delivered by a small, dedicated team, and every volunteer hour, every donation and every partnership genuinely extends our reach into communities that need it. If you live in or have a connection to the Rhins and Machars area, we would especially love to hear from you.

Three ways to help

Find the right fit for you

There is no minimum commitment, no minimum expertise, and no minimum postcode. Anyone who cares about rural communities has a place at Atlas.

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Volunteer

From becoming a trained community health champion in your own parish to helping staff the van on its fortnightly circuit, volunteering with Atlas puts you at the heart of the work. We provide all training and expenses, and we fit around your availability — farming schedules included.

Enquire about volunteering
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Donate

Donations of any size help us keep the freephone line staffed, the van on the road and the workshops free for all participants. A one-off gift or a small monthly standing order both make a real and traceable difference to the communities we serve. As a SCIO, every penny goes to our charitable purposes.

Find out about donating
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Partner With Us

We work with GP practices, pharmacies, community councils, agricultural organisations, housing associations and local businesses to extend our reach and co-ordinate our efforts. If your organisation serves rural Galloway and shares our values, we would welcome a conversation about what working together might look like.

Start a partnership conversation
Community Health Champions

Become a trusted voice in your parish

Our community health champion programme is the heart of Atlas's reach into places where a blue van and a phone line are not enough. Champions complete a structured twelve-hour training programme accredited through NHS Dumfries and Galloway's health literacy framework. The training covers communication skills, up-to-date health information, safeguarding awareness and signposting — everything you need to be a knowledgeable, confident first point of contact in your community.

You do not need to be a health professional. You need to be a familiar, trusted face in your own village, farming community or coastal settlement. We run a refresher training day each spring and champions gather informally throughout the year to share experiences and stay up to date.

What we provide
  • Full twelve-hour accredited training
  • Refresher training each spring
  • Atlas ID lanyard and resource pack
  • Ongoing support from staff team
  • All reasonable expenses covered
Apply to become a champion
A group of volunteer health champions gathered outside a community hall after training
Annual Event

The Portpatrick to Mull of Galloway Tractor Run

"A sponsored tractor run from Portpatrick to the Mull of Galloway that is now an annual Atlas tradition."

Every summer, the Rhins rings with the sound of tractors raising funds for Atlas. The sponsored run covers the length of the peninsula from Portpatrick on the Irish Sea coast all the way to the Mull of Galloway at Scotland's most southerly point — a Galloway landscape of rolling farmland, drystone dykes and stunning coastal views. The event began as a piece of local fundraising in 2021 to help purchase the first Atlas van and has grown into an unmissable fixture in the Rhins farming calendar.

If you would like to enter a tractor, join as a spectator or sponsor a participant, please get in touch through the form below. All proceeds go directly to keeping Atlas's services running free of charge for all.

Find out more about the tractor run

Your health questions deserve a real answer

Ready to get involved? We would love to hear from you — whether you have ten minutes or ten hours to give.

Get in touch today