Fort chosen as first port of call for Hebridean Princess mystery tour
NEW EFFORTS are being made to educate Kinlochleven pupils on ‘in demand’ career choices in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).
Rebecca Machin, head teacher at Kinlochleven High School, said: ‘It is not just about promoting STEM careers, but about opening our eyes to what is possible and the wide range of opportunities many of us are unaware of.’
Every pupil in S1 and S2 attended the Edinburgh International Science festival, with the support of Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) West Highland. The students took part in a careers event focusing on potential future challenges, how they could be solved and the STEM careers which can help build a better world.
The school has also formed a school/ business partnership with local STEM company Green Highland Renewables.
Mr Morrison, PT Sciences and Physics teacher, said having such a business partnership is a great way to enrich pupils’ learning.
Green Highland Renewables also visited the school to give a careers talk. FORT William played host to guests on a magical mystery tour recently.
On April 19, the Hebridean Princess sailed into Loch Linnhe but, in an unusual twist, most of the people on board had no idea where they were going until they arrived.
Sarah Kennedy, from the Fort William Marina and Shoreline Company, told
Lochaber Times the Hebridean Princess organises two ‘surprise tours’ a year - one in the spring and one in the autumn. During these tours, it is basically up to the captain where he wants to go and the guests and crew don’t have any idea where they are headed for the eight or nine days.
Sarah explained: ‘We were contacted by the senior purser on Saturday (April 15) requesting to use the Fort William pontoons and I had to keep quiet about it on social media until the actual day of the visit. They did authorise me to take the posters around the shops on Monday and to notify other users of the pontoons that they will be closed so the Hebridean Princess passengers and crew have sole access for the time she was in port.’
Mrs Kennedy added: ‘I was delighted to be invited on board to meet Captain Trevor Bailey again and was able to give him his gifts of a special collection Ben Nevis whisky donated by Ben Nevis Distilleries, a beeswax candle and a jar of local heather honey. I then took the Captain to Fort William Station to see the steam train as she set off on her trip along to Mallaig.
‘His brother used to work on the steam train a number of years ago and the captain himself is a bit of a steam train enthusiast as well.’