A FORMER primary school teacher swapped the classroom to educate children in the great outdoors instead.
Anna Marshall has worked as the activity leader at Ardvullin House for the last seven years where she has welcomed thousands of kids through its doors.
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And she decided she could help those who struggled academically to thrive by taking them on activities they had never done before.
Anna, 38, who taught in the Highland town of Fort William, says: “Some of these children we work with have never seen what Scotland has to offer in terms of mountains, the sea, and all the activities you can try.
“I often find a child will discover a new skill or new activity that they’ve never done and absolutely they love it.
“That is something they can take into their adult life, even just as a hobby, but more importantly it’s all about finding something they love.”
She adds: “So I know children, who are struggling in school, can come outdoors and find something they’re really good at, that’s not academic, and gives them such a positive feeling.”
HopScotch was founded 25 years ago with a vision to provide breaks for some of Scotland’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.
And for the last quarter of a century more than 400 children have been heading every year for a holiday of a lifetime packed with fun activities.
The Scottish Sun joined a group of young carers from Moray as they went for a morning Segway ride through the ice and snow in Ballachulish.
And although the conditions were Baltic the kids were left beaming afterwards.
Abi Hamilton, 11, from Elgin, said: “That was really fun – even though I fell off a couple of times.
“I’ve never done anything like that before. I’d love to do it again.”
And Freddie Tuma, nine, also from Elgin added: “I thought it was great because everybody got a shot and it wasn’t that hard.”
After hot chocolates to heat up the mini-bus full of excited kids headed back to HopScotch HQ – Ardvullin House on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, near Fort William.
After taking a short hop on the Corran ferry, we arrived at the former ghillie’s lodge which now has dormitories, play areas and cooking facilities for its many visitors.
While outside there’s a new activity centre with a football and basketball court, along with a climbing wall where little redhead Tegan Hird, eight, from Cullen, was keen to show off her scrambling skills.
There’s also an extensive playpark in the front garden complete with a flying fox and huge trampoline for the children who stay over from Monday to Friday.
Anna says: “On the Monday when they arrive they can all be quite quiet, especially the young carers.
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“Sometimes they don’t know each other, as they’ve been brought together from a wider area.
“But as the week goes by, you watch them make new friends, sharing experiences and they get louder as they come out of their shells.
“By the end of the week they’re just like a big gang of pals – completely different children from the ones who arrived.”
Connor Gibson, 29, from Blackhill in Glasgow, was volunteering at Ardvullian House this week but as a former young carer himself he knows the benefits of giving children a break.
He says: “I was a carer from the age of seven for my gran at first.
“As I got older I would go shopping, help make dinners and make sure she had her medications because her daughter – my auntie – who was her main carer, was a nurse who worked long shifts.
“We just all mucked in as a family and the same happened when my mum Jacqueline fell ill. Sadly she passed away at just 41.
“But these things happen in life and young people can end up taking on a lot of responsibility.”
He adds: “This place gives them a chance to just be themselves. It’s great as we don’t want these kids to grow up too fast.”
After lunch it was off to the nearby Alpaca Farm Experience in Ardgour to feed the animals including chickens and goats.
Anna says: “All the kids love animals but it actually really relaxes them at times, especially those with ADHD.
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HOPSCOTCH co-founder Roberta McKay has urged Scottish Sun readers to help change kids’ lives.
The organisation sends around 700 children from challenging backgrounds on much-needed breaks every year to their incredible Ardvullin Centre, near Fort William, Inverness-shire.
A number of community groups and partner charities recommend youngsters, who have had a bad start in life, for the action-packed getaways.
And this year’s priority has been Project 25. It marks HopScotch’s Silver Jubilee and aims to raise £25,000 to give even more youngsters a dream holiday.
Roberta said: “Over the past 25 years, we have welcomed over 7,000 children to our Ardvullin holiday centre.
“In Scotland today, so many kids are living in poverty, caring for others or dealing with trauma and distress. Our HopScotch children have experienced a wide rage of life’s challenges.
“It might be the responsibility of looking after a family member, the loss of a parent, or maybe it’s the first time they’ve ever had the chance to leave their local area.
“But when they arrive for a well-deserved respite break at our centre in the West Highlands, we give them so much more than a holiday – it’s a vital break away. We open them up to a world of fun and independence.”
Roberta also urged Scottish Sun readers to give generously, adding:
“Please dig deep and support the Sunta Cause campaign. Your donation can brighten the lives of countless children in need.
“Together, we can make a real difference and bring smiles and lifelong memories to those children in Scotland who need it most.”
Give the gift of healing at wonderful.org/fundraisers/7ArvZ or scan the QR code to donate.
“Horse riding is actually another really good activity because often they’ll be scared and a bit shaky and not sure if it’s something they want to do.
“But then they give it a wee try and discover they’re actually really good at it.
“You just see that confidence grow in them with the realisation that they can overcome challenges and be good at something they’ve never done before.”
However Anna believes the children get the most out of life’s most simple pleasures.
She explained: “I think probably our top activity is going to the beach. It’s simple. It doesn’t cost anything and it’s where they have the most fun.
“It’s amazing to watch children who sometimes feel older than their years because they’ve got so much responsibility at home.
“But take them to the beach, give them a bucket and spade or just let them run around, looking under rocks splashing in the sea and they become kids again.”
And out of all the thousands of children Anna has welcomed over the years, one in particular sticks in her memory.
She recalls: “It was my first year here and we had three brothers who were living in a women’s refuge and had obviously been through a tricky time with difficult experiences before coming to us.
“On the first day I took them to the beach and the littlest one, who must have been about seven, just ran onto the sand and threw himself down rubbing it over him and feeling it between his fingers.
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“He had never been to a beach before and was just so happy and he said ‘I never want to leave’. That is something I shall never forget.”
Anna adds: “That is why I love taking kids into the great outdoors – you don’t get a better playground than here.”
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