Supporting local children experience the outdoors

Marybank Primary School Parent Council (MPSPC) is a proactive group, supporting pupils and staff through events, fundraising and other projects.  They were awarded £3,443.50 from the EDF Renewables Corriemoillie Wind Farm Community Fund (Marybank, Scatwell & Strathconon) which is a sub-fund of the EDF Renewables Corriemoillie Wind Farm Community Fund.

MPSPC received this award in 2022 to fund nature and heritage-based outings and outdoor activities for local children to create social opportunities and promote well-being post covid. Their playpark improvement project was also supported by the Corriemoillie fund.

This project is to contribute to cost of all primary six and seven pupils at Marybank and Strathconon Primary Schools (14 pupils) to attend a five-day residential trip at Dalguise Centre in Perthshire in May 2024. The costs of £500 per pupil include transport, full board, and a wide range of adventure activities. Pupils from Strathgarve, Mulbuie, and Ferintosh will also be on the trip, which will help all pupils make connections in their transition to secondary school. The aim is to develop new skills, confidence and self-esteem and help the children forge new friendships.

Opportunities for residential trips were not available in recent years due to pandemic restrictions and so, considering the positive impact these trips will have, the school is hoping to reinstate this as a regular experience for senior pupils.

However, there were concerns raised among local families about paying for the trip, which although good value, is unaffordable for some. 

There was feedback that some families would not be able to participate at all in which case it was agreed that there would be a collective effort to reduce or eliminate the financial costs for all families or to secure funding to subsidise as many places as possible.

Based on discussions with local families, a target of £120 was set for each child to contribute to the overall cost of the trip. The plan is to organise some activities as a group to help reach this target, recognising that in a small community, fundraising can be challenging. 

The children are committed to raising their own target amount, or certainly trying to, and appreciate being able to pull together and help each other to achieve this. The first event planned was a duck race and afternoon tea in late November which was a great success.

Support from the Corriemoillie fund meant that each family had a much smaller target to raise, while still giving the children the opportunity to contribute to their own fundraising efforts, and means that all the children will benefit.

Eleanor Macdonald said: 

“Children throughout Strathconon and Marybank area live in a remote and rural setting with few opportunities to come together with their peers. This funding enables them to prepare for transition to secondary school through outdoor learning. They will do this with others and enjoy team-building experiences that will build resilience. The impact on their lives is tremendous as they form new relationships with a wider range of young people and challenge themselves through the outdoor activities.”