Garden centre donation boost for Fochabers youth leadership group

A FOCHABERS garden centre is helping a youth leadership programme flourish.

Run by Active Schools Moray, the Young Leaders Programme seeks to give all participants across Moray opportunities to gain qualifications and volunteering opportunities to grow and develop ready for employment or university.

There was a boost in hand for the group in the Milne's Associated Schools Group when family owned and run garden centre Christie's of Fochabers stepped in with sponsorship for hoodies for the youngsters.

Local Active Schools co-ordinator Lorna Young said: "The Active Schools Young Leader Programme continues to grow from strength to strength thanks to a sponsorship for hoodies.

"The grey hoodies ensure that they are appropriately dressed for session delivery and easily identifiable. The local garden centre has been so generous and ensured that every young leader in the Milne’s programme now has a grey hoodie.

"The young leader programme in Milne’s has been a success with 34 Young Leaders involved in the programme and 27 have been regularly delivering sessions in the community. Parents and guardians have fed back that they have seen development in their children’s skills and have commented saying how fabulous these leaders are.

"This sponsor means so much to these young people, it gives them an identity, a sense of belonging which is something to be proud of, and gives something back to the community."

Popping over to present the Young Leaders with their new hoodies on behalf of Christie's was company director Christine Christie.

She said: "Investing in our young people means we are investing in the future, too.

"Donating the Team Leader Hoodies has given them an identity and with that the confidence to lead. My hope is that Christies will be able to continue the supply of these hoodies each year as they nurture new Team Leaders.“

Earlier in the year she had also paid a visit to the group to meet some of the Young Leaders while they were delivering sessions and see how they were getting on. Ms Young added that Mrs Christie was pleasantly surprised at the numbers of young people involved.

Anyone aged 12-25 and interested in getting involved in the new Young Leader programme, get in touch with your local Active Schools Coordinator – visit http://sportinmoray.co.uk/mcsh/active-schools/contact-us/ for contact details.

Updates on the programme will also be posted on the Active Schools Moray Facebook page.

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