Dove Centre celebrates thanks to high school
Oban’s Dove Centre has been awarded £3,000 thanks to Oban High School pupils.
The money comes from a Youth and Philanthropy Initiative competition, run by The Wood Foundation and funded by CalMac.
Since the scheme was introduced to Scotland in 2008, it has engaged more than 230,000 young people who have taken responsibility for £5 million of charitable giving.
YPI is the biggest independent initiative being delivered in Scottish education and each school that takes part is responsible for directing a grant of £3,000 to a charity in their community championed by students who carry out research and put together presentations to win the funding.
Presentations involving Year 5 and Year 6 pupils on Argyll Wellbeing Hub, bereaved family charity Anam Cara Fasgadh and Oban Hospice’s Dove Centre made it to the final.
Oban High School deputy headteacher Robert Leadbeater congratulated all the pupils who took part in the competition and said the three presentations that got through to the final were ‘outstanding’.
‘I’m so impressed with the quality of work put in. What really struck me was the amount of time the young people have clearly put into their projects. The passion that came through clearly shows these guys are going to be future volunteers and workers in our community,’ he added.
Oban Hospice Dove Centre Co-ordinator Peter Darling said: ‘All of us here at Oban Hospice are delighted at being a part of YPI. Many thanks and sincere congratulations to the pupils of OHS who put this presentation together in such a moving and professional way – a real credit to OHS and the local community, with a lovely tribute to Murdo MacDougall who was one of our volunteers.’
Mr Darling said the £3,000 will be used by Cairdeas Befriending to offer social support to people in the local community who are living with cancer or other long-term conditions, helping them reconnect with their community, get them out socialising and help build up any confidence that might have been lost due to illness. The service can also offer company at home.
Anyone interested in becoming a befriender can contact co-ordinator Lucy Hunt by email: lucy.hunt@obanhospice.org.uk or call: 07592 633251.