3, 2, 1 , JUMP

I spent the morning at KIlbowie Outdoor Centre in Oban, which is part of the North Lanarkshire Council Education Department. In North Lanarkshire every Primary 7 pupil gets the chance to spend a week learning in the outdoors, as part of Curriculum for Excellence. Kilbowie is the destination, and it is a wonderful place with talented and enthused staff and superb facilities on the doorstep, including the Sound of Kerrera . The teachers who come with the children are also enthused and enthusiastic, seeing at first hand what the experience gives and how young people can be changed by such an opportunity.

During the morning I was taken out on a small boat to see two groups of kayakers - one of which was also given the opportunity to leap off a cliff into the sea. One by one they did so, even the most reluctant, and all enjoyed it. One girl , who had been very nervous, just shouted out as she surfaced "That was great !"

I ended up wanting to do the jump myself - but a constituency advice surgery in the afternoon meant that better sense prevailed. Looking at the blip, though, I regret not trying it ! Perhaps next time.....