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The money raised from a storybook adventure of two boys turned superheroes has been used for a summer school for 47 Amherst Primary pupils.
At the end of last year, Colin Macleod, the Chief Executive Officer of The Channel Islands Co-operative Society, published his first book. It followed the adventures of his two sons Harris and Lewis as they are whisked off to a secret land and transformed into superheroes, HammerHead and Captain StinkyPants.
The book raised £10,000 for two Channel Islands charities – Help a Guernsey Child and the Variety, the Children’s Charity of Jersey. Help A Guernsey Child has used some of the funds to cover the costs of the Amherst Primary Summer School.
‘As a father of two young boys, I wanted to raise money for charities which change the lives of young Channel Islanders who face enormous challenges on a daily basis. It was really important to me that Harris and Lewis could appreciate how our bedtime stories have made an incredible difference,’ said Mr Macleod.
‘The Amherst Primary Summer School sounds like a fantastic week of fun for children who, due to a number of reasons, weren’t able to go away or try different activities. I was particularly touched to hear that teachers were prepared to give up their own summer holidays for the benefit of their young pupils. What a remarkably selfless thing to do.’
The children, aged between five and 11, have a full programme, which includes school-based activities, archery, swimming, bowling, a trip to the Aquarium and a day on the beach.
On Thursday, Mr Macleod will join the group at Vazon where they will have a surf lesson with Guernsey Surf School and then have lunch on the beach.
Peter Webber from Help A Guernsey Child said Mr Macleod’s generosity had enabled the week to go ahead.
‘Help A Guernsey Child’s primary purpose is to help individual young people in the Bailiwick who find themselves in difficulty through no fault of their own but Colin was very keen that the money raised from the book should be used for specific projects. We have worked with Amherst previously and know the amazing work that they do for all their pupils and so we were confident that this activities week would make a real difference to the young people,’ he said.
This is the second year Amherst has run the summer school and headteacher Tracey Moore said it would be impossible to do without the generosity of so many people. This year, six teachers, two learning support assistants and a grandma have given up a week of their holiday to help run the summer school.
‘The summer holidays can feel very long for some of our pupils if they are not in a position to go away or able to take part in activities. It provides them with the opportunity to try things they won’t have done before, to mix with other pupils and to see school in a different light,’ she said.
‘It simply wouldn’t happen without my colleagues giving up their time, others volunteering to help and the support of businesses and organisations. Most importantly, the generosity of Mr Macleod and the involvement of Help A Guernsey Child has meant we can actually run the week, which brings so many benefits. I am delighted that Mr Macleod is able to come to Vazon and see the impact his support has had on these young people.’
In Jersey, Variety used the money given by Mr Macleod to purchase an Acheeva Learning Station, which will enable Mont a L’Abbe pupils with complex and continuing health needs to be comfortably and easily included in classroom activities, and a specialist trike for Eliana Lazarrin, who was brain damaged after a near fatal drowning when she was 21 months old.
