Scottish Catholic Observer

The St Aloysius’ pupils (above) involved form part of the college’s Children’s Fund, a charitable trust established by a committee of parents, staff and former pupils.

The annual holiday to Aberfoyle is a result of the fundraising and organising efforts put in throughout the year by all members of St Aloysius’ Children’s Fund.

Fiona McNeil, an S6 pupil at St Aloysius’ was one of 28 pupils who accompanied the group of 22 disabled and four disadvantaged children to Aberfoyle—where they stayed at Gartmore House—for a week this summer.

“This opportunity not only provides tired parents with well-deserved respite, but also gives St Aloysius’ College pupils, like myself, the chance to take children in less fortunate positions on a trip they will hopefully remember fondly,” Fiona said.

During the holiday, a college pupil looked after each child, becoming their sole carer, for 24 hours a day.

“This can be a tricky task at times, however, the positive response you see in your child over the course of the holiday undoubtedly makes any stress worthwhile,” Fiona said. “Throughout the holiday we undertake numerous activities such as bowling, swimming, fashion shows and the eternal favourite: soft play, which is enjoyed by both the children and the pupils equally.”

This summer was Fiona’s second of participating in the Children’s Fund holiday and, following her return from Aberfoyle this year, she described both experiences as ‘equally rewarding, although completely different.’

“On my first holiday I was caring for a disadvantaged young girl who, although able bodied, needed emotional support,” she said. “The holiday was a great week of firsts for this girl, including her first time swimming. Being able to share these moments with her is something I will never forget and I am sure I got just as much out of the holiday as she did. Seeing her filled with excitement because of something so simple as swimming, which most of us think of as a regular activity, made me realise just how much of a difference I was making to her.

“This year was a completely different ball game; I was caring for a young girl with both physical and mental disabilities. She wasn’t able to talk and communicated using limited Makaton signing so I was the person she relied on for almost everything. The responsibility of having someone put all their trust in you to look after them is truly humbling. She was a joy to be around with an infectious laugh and a funny personality. It was so fulfilling when you finally succeeded in getting her to understand what you were saying but it was just a matter of explaining things clearly and simply, a skill which proves much more difficult than you might expect.”

Fiona added that ‘you can truly sense the presence of God when surrounded by so many loving and caring people’ on the Children’s Fund holiday.

She also stressed that the Children’s Fund at St Aloysius’ works with disabled and disadvantaged children throughout the year, and it is not just a case of pupils taking part in an annual holiday.

“The committee, consisting of four fifth year pupils, four sixth year pupils and the associated teachers, organises a weekly visit to a school for disabled children,” she said. “Here, you can sit, chat or play games with the kids for the duration of the evening.

“Getting involved with the Children’s Fund opens so many doors within the college and allows those involved to develop skills which will undoubtedly be more than beneficial once they leave.”

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