It’s summer time and the holidays are fast approaching. Give Kids a Chance aims to continue over the holiday break and will keep as many activities as possible running, however, some tutors and venues will not be available. Grace has included a compliment slip with a note of individual holiday dates. Keep your dates in a safe place so that you know what is happening. If your activity continues over the summer and you have holidays planned phone Grace on 01224 555224 and let her know so that we can cancel your activity session.
Welcome to our new participants, tutors and volunteers
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ince January 2006, 63 new participants have joined the Give Kids a Chance scheme. Most of the new participants have come from the Aberdeen area and have been allocated places on the project as a result of funding from Big Lottery or the Regeneration Outcome Agreement.
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ew tutors: Kris Elliott joined GKAC in May to teach drums and is working in Aberdeen. Also from Aberdeen is Emma Fraser, who is covering Zara Hobin’s maternity leave and will be teaching singing.
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hree volunteers have joined GKAC since January. Sandy Wood is helping out in the office, Wim Vis is helping with the 5-a-side football team at goals on a Friday night. Both Sandy and Wim are based in Aberdeen. Jim Soutar is providing the transport and supervision for the fishing activity at Rothes in Moray.
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ew service providers of activities include: Peterhead Rock School, Music 4U, Bucksburn Swimming Club, Edgar Gray – guitar tutor and Moray Fly Fishing.
Welcome to our new participants, tutors and volunteers
Thank you to all our sponsors and supporters for the generous donations made. So far this year we have received donations from: Wood Group, Paul B Loyd Jnr - Transocean, CNR International, Talisman Energy (UK) Limited, ABB Ltd, Sparrows, Aberdeen Football Club, Jenkins & Marr, Spree Publications, NHS Grampian Staff, Holburn Gospel Hall and GKAC Volunteers. Grants have also been received from Big Lottery, Aberdeen City Council Regeneration Outcome Agreement and the Drugs and Alcohol Task Group. Thank you for your support.
Fishing in Moray
This is a new activity for Give Kids a Chance and started in March 2006. The venue is the Glen of Rothes Trout Fishery. Glen of Rothes has 6 acres of water and provides excellent opportunities for fly and bait fishing. Kevin Moss, owner and instructor at the fishery has been very supportive of Give Kids a Chance and has welcomed volunteer Jim Soutar and his group of 3 keen young fisherman. All three lads have now progressed from bait to fly fishing and have extended their time at the fishery. When not fishing the boys often go hunting the river bank for frogs and tadpoles. The boys all enjoy their time with Jim and their new friends at the fishery and always spend some time in the bothy after the fishing to have a hot chocolate and a chat before they return home. Although not a great deal of fish have been caught there have been a few successes and perhaps we can feature a photograph in the next edition.
This activity has taken a great deal of time to co-ordinate but has proved very worthwhile. The volunteer support provided by Jim has been crucial to the success of this activity.
Peterhead
Activities in Peterhead include horse-riding, golf, guitar, snooker, football and swimming. We are not limited to this range and have made contact with many other providers. In recent years young people have attended martial arts and dance class and there are a host of other activities available locally. The most recent addition to our range is the Peterhead Rock School. This organisation co-ordinates a tuition facility for many musicians and can offer lessons in most instruments. Give Kids a Chance have one participant attending for a guitar lesson and will be checking another tutor for drum lessons in the very near future. The Rock School also has a dance studio and rehearsal space for bands. For young people in the area who are not taking part in an activity and want to be involved if there is something you would like to attend, let us know and we can make the necessary checks.
Horse-riding continues to be the most popular activity in Peterhead with 7 young people attending for lessons at Annandale Equestrian Centre in Mintlaw on a Sunday morning. One young girl has progressed very quickly and with the support of her parents has moved to an advanced class on a Saturday. Well done.
Aberdeen – Powis Cooking Group
Cooking has featured in the youth work programme at Powis Community Centre in Aberdeen for nearly 4 years. GKAC tutor, Sarah Crombie has worked with young people at the centre and gradually introduced them to a range of new recipes and cooking techniques. The girls attending the sessions have gained valuable skills that have enabled them to plan, shop, prepare and present some wonderful food choices. The photograph below shows the girls on a recent visit to the Confidence to Cook Kitchen at Summerhill Community Centre. This kitchen is a great resource and offers space for each of the girls to work at their own cooker and preparation area. A visit to the kitchen is viewed as a treat but something that GKAC will aim to include for the girls on a monthly basis from next session.
Part of the visit includes time to sit down and eat together and sample the dishes that have been prepared. This menu included chicken kebabs with ratatouille and mozzarella bake followed by a fruit sundae. Delicious.
Fraserburgh
We now have a new tutor for the Fraserburgh area who can offer instruction in a range of instrument including guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele and percussion. Music has been a great miss to our programme in Fraserburgh but is available now so get in touch if it is of interest to you. Other activities in Fraserburgh remain constant with trampoline, swimming, sea cadets and horse-riding featuring most often.
Two participants are members of the Broch Seals Swimming Club and train and compete on a regular basis with coach Marie Cheyne. They are both hopeful of places in the Scottish Squad and would like to compete at national level. They regularly travel to Stirling for training sessions and have impressed their coach with their dedication and commitment. We wish them good luck with their swimming.
Customer Satisfaction Survey
We have attached a short questionnaire for completion. We are really trying to gauge how effective Give Kids a Chance can be. Individual questionnaires have been prepared for various client groups – participants, parents, tutors, volunteers, service providers and staff who have made referrals to GKAC.
Each young person who returns a questionnaire will have their details added to a prize draw for a giant tin of Cadbury’s Roses.
Comments from all groups who benefit from GKAC would be helpful as we plan the future delivery of the project. We hope you will be able to take a few minutes to complete and return the questionnaire.
Future Newsletters
Why not send in a short story for the next newsletter. It would be good to hear from some of the young people, volunteers and tutors. Or, send in any photographs you would like us to include. We would love to hear from you.
Is co-ordinated by NHS Grampian,
In partnership with local community networks.
Denburn Health Centre, Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen, AB25 1QB
Tel No. 01224 555224 (Heather) or
Tel No. 01224 555293 (Grace)
e-mail: or
www.nhsgrampian.org/gkac