The Tartan Army Childrens’ Charity’s “My First Scotland Match” initiative was a fantastic success for pupils at an Edinburgh school at last month’s match against Denmark at Hampden Park.
“My First Scotland Match” is all about giving underprivileged kids the chance to attend their first Scotland match, where those involved receive a brand new Scotland shirt, flag, programme, some spending money for half-time and also a meal before the game.
Panmure St Anns is a special school in Edinburgh for young people between 14-16 who have failed to manage in mainstream school due to a variety of behavioural, social and emotional reasons caused by issues such as parental neglect or substance misuse, bereavement, exclusion due to behaviour or social isolation due to mental health or poverty issues. The school currently has a mixed roll of around 16 regular attenders and 16 who are receiving outreach teaching.
These children come from economically constrained backgrounds and would otherwise not experience a Scotland match and all the excitement that such a trip contains. The young people struggle to broaden their horizon beyond their local communities and even a trip to Glasgow is beyond most of their comprehension.
Andy Welsh – Groupworker at the school said: “We had a great time! It was a trip that took all of them way out of their comfort zone and has been a valuable experience for them all. All the young people were delighted with their Scotland tops. Given their personal circumstances it is something that they would have little opportunity to own.
“They all said thank you for taking them which is unusual for our young people and I would like to pass their thanks on to TACC as you made the trip possible.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
