May I take this opportunity to thank families from the area for supporting a child through the Glasgow Children’s Holiday Scheme, by being hosts for a week during the school summer holidays last year and to wish them all a Happy New Year.

These families shared a week of their holidays with a child from an inner city housing scheme who may not otherwise have a holiday.

The children experience the freedom and wonders of the countryside and ordinary rural family life through their generosity of spirit. These simple experiences often have amazing and lasting influences; helping to develop confidence, opening up new horizons and understanding. This realisation often improves the child’s attitude to education and helps them to develop ambitions for the future. This is why we liaise with three head teachers from primary schools in Glasgow. They are able to refer children most likely to benefit from the scheme and whose parents or carers want them to benefit from the opportunity. Host families may live in a small village, town or farm, with young or grown up children or with none. All have in common a love of children and a realisation that the ordinary experiences and beauties of their life can be extraordinary to a child from the city. Some remember less fortunate times and childhoods.

Hosts usually say they and their children have gained as much from the experience; finding anew the wonder and enjoyment of a beach, woodland, wildlife or outing and forming new friendships which sometimes continue for years or may only be for one year.

We always need new volunteer hosts, as family and work commitments change from year to year. If you would like to learn more about becoming a host family or the work of GCHS, I would be delighted to hear from you. In the first instance please telephone, write or email Ann Pert, Coordinator, The Glasgow Children’s Holiday Scheme, Fifth Floor, 30 George Square, Glasgow G2 1EG. Phone/Fax: 0141 248 7255. Email: gchs@talktalkbusiness.net. Registered charity reference number: SC022654.