Hope 2 Oban Award 2015!

Holly Strachan, S6 student from Oban High School, has recently been presented with the 2015 H2O Award. Holly recently received the award from Youth Worker Rachel Smith and H2O Director Ruth Sunderland during the OHS prize giving ceremony.
Holly was being given recognition from H2O for her solid volunteering effort within the Oban High School Learning Centre, serving others from within the OHS community.

DeKanWiz Go Cruisin'

It's that end-of-term time when we get ourselves out and about with our groups and try and do something a wee bitty special. So, when DKW were invited to take to the water for a sail around Loch Etive, that very much fitted the bill.

Eight intrepids joined H2O volunteer John Macdonald on his yacht T-Bird for a slightly drizzly, but great fun time. Within minutes of boarding, the kettle and the burgers were on the stove, DKW'ers were bracing the mainsail and hoisting all sorts of things around the Loch. The floating BBQ was just the job for hungry sailors and a final speedy scoot around the bay, finished off a superb evening.

Of course, we say a very big thank you to John for this special opportunity and say 'happy summer' to DKW as we go our separate ways over the summer months.

BBQ Time and a special visit to Kilmore

It's that end of term time and that can mean only one thing......BBQ season!!!! Braving the possibility of midges, of which there were none, Xplore and GFG made their way to Kilmore, with the promise of a fine BBQ at the home of our friends, the Clunies. Following on from the feeding frenzy, an impromptu  adventure was suggested and duly undertaken.....

For some, Kilmore waterfall hadn't even registered on their radar. So, when we arrived there were a few gasps, and suggestions that this special place should be included somewhere in the Lord of the Rings stories.

 

Of course, there are always some who lower the tone of any good adventure, and sadly, there was a brief 'selfy' interlude. Anyway, we soon got over that and continued to marvel at the 'special place'. A big thank you goes to Roy & Liz for allowing us to invade their garden. 

Powerpoint season draws to a close.

So, we've made it to our third POWERPOINT event in a row.....wey-hey!!

A small but select group headed off to Queens Park Baptist to join young Christians from all over Scotland as the gathering spent time in worship, prayer and a lot of down right silliness!

The message was shared by Don Esson of Compassion UK, challenging all who gathered to live out their Christian lives of love day-to-day. 

Powerpoint takes a break over the summer and re-convenes in September, when all the signs are that we will continue making the trip around the nation to meet with others and discover more of Jesus in our lives.

Zoooming! around Edinburgh

On a splendid day at the end of May, Ewen and keen photographing volunteer Cameron Harris, zoomed off to Edinburgh with members of Zoooom!. The National Museum of Scotland was our first port of call to experience the fine collection displayed at Chamber Street. 

Having spent a considerable time photographing artifacts, models, stars & planets, dinosaurs and the general awesomeness of the interior, it was time for lunch and a quick jaunt around the capital to our next port of call, The Royal Botanical Gardens. What an array of splendidness, with temperatures reach 'awfully hot' in some of the glass houses and shutters clicking away. Such fun!

At the end of the day, of course, there was only one thing left to do.....the traditional McDonalds visit (other Burger selling establishments are available!).

All in all a jolly good day, with talk of possible return visits at some time. 

Thanks to all who took part and here's to a wonderfully good photographic summer for all!

The Rank Foundation visit the Oban Area

Youth and community organisation in Oban recently had a visit from members of the board of the Rank Foundation, who spent time with Atlantis Leisure, Oban Youth Cafe and Hope 2 Oban, specifically visiting the Green Shoots Project.

This was an ideal opportunity to talk about the needs of the young folk and the wider community of Oban and the surrounding area and to demonstrate the many opportunities for collaborative working that are already taking place as well as consider future possibilities. 

During their visit to the Glencruitten House Walled Garden, Joey Newton, Chair of the Rank Foundation and the organisation's CEO, David Sanderson, encountered a variety of folks of all ages and abilities who access opportunities within the Green Shoots Project, already supported in these 'pilot' stages by the Foundation. 

A big thank you must go to all who took part in activities throughout the day, one of the few in May to be blessed with some sunshine.