East Lothian Courier | News | ‘Amazing’ adventures saved by £170k lifeline

Tuesday, 7th October, 2008

Published: Friday, 21st March, 2008 09:00

‘Amazing’ adventures saved by £170k lifeline

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KNOX pupils (from left) Max Muir, Hazel Leslie, Jessica Woodhead, Alison McDougal, Jeni Bertram and Hannah Frith celebrate the school’s continued participation in the John Muir Awards

PUPILS at Knox Academy have been thrown a financial lifeline to enable them to continue with a unique programme of environmental improvements and self-discovery.

The Haddington secondary school has received £107,000 from the National Lottery’s Young People’s Fund (YPF), to secure the future of its John Muir Award scheme until 2012.

Relieved teachers feared they would be forced to bury plans for the scheme after Enterprise Funding from the Scottish Executive ran out last year.

Thankfully, a subsequent application to the National Lottery’s Big Lottery Fund – which manages the distribution of lottery money to good causes – came up trumps.

“It is great news,” said Jenny Duff, principal teacher of citizenship, who co-ordinates the school’s John Muir Award scheme.

“The award programme is now in its fourth year at Knox, but after the winding up of Enterprise Funding things were not looking good. We thought we might have to end our involvement.”

Now, the coast is clear for a total of 32 pupils in two groups from third year to embark on a series of outdoor activities over the coming 12 months.

The pupils will take part in rock climbing and gorge walking, as well as conservation work, including pond clearing and native tree-planting.

These projects will go towards pupils achieving a John Muir Award, a youth achievement scheme similar in structure to the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, which encourages awareness and responsibility for the environment.

Said Miss Duff: “This project is an amazing opportunity for pupils to get involved in conservation work in their local area whilst gaining some vital life skills, such as communication, organisation and leadership qualities along the way.

“We are delighted with our Young People’s Fund award, which will make a huge impact on our ability to offer the John Muir Award programme to pupils for the next four years.”

Together with its main partner agencies – Mobile Expedition (Mobex), Volunteer Bureau for East Lothian and East Lothian Ranger Service – the school has arranged a varied award programme for 2008.

Planned conservation work includes building and erecting bird nesting boxes, making and distributing fire-beating sticks in local forests, and cleaning ponds.

These activities will be carried out on Friday afternoons, starting in April.

During the summer months, one group of pupils will spend 10 days walking the length of the Western Isles, from Lewis to Barra.

The other group is planning a four-day expedition to Skye. It takes pupils three years to achieve the highest of the John Muir Award’s three levels.

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