Rosshall Academy, Crookston

Rosshall Academy Saltire Awards Ceremony

Friday 3rd October, 11.10am

Rosshall Academy, Crookston.

Rosshall Academy will be hosting the Saltire Awards Ceremony this Friday morning.

Humza Yousaf, MSP and Minister for External Affairs & International Development will be presenting the Awards on behalf of the Scottish Government.

Up to 50 Rosshall pupils will be receiving the Awards for volunteering both in school and in their wider community.

Many give a huge amount of time to help with local youth groups, charity fundraising, sports coaching and other initiatives.

Humza Yousaf has also been a positive example of volunteering his time to Rosshall pupils.

In June, he co-hosted the Referendum Pupil Debate with Johann Lamont MSP and the school was buzzing with lively discussion.

Each Saltire Award certificate will detail the volunteering hours and the group they have benefitted.

There are 3 categories of Awards, Paul Chaudhry, S6 explained. “ I fell into the ‘Challenge’ category for stilt-walking with Circomodo at The Dead Crooked Parade in Pollock”.

Paul learnt his Circus skills through The Prince’s Trust, this also included juggling, tightrope, Poi and uni-cycling. He has performed in the parade 3 years in a row.

Vanessa Reid Phelps S4 received her Award for 200 hours of coaching under 13’s girls Football during the summer holidays and after school. “There’s not much for girls to do round here. Getting girls into football stops them sitting about doing nothing.”

The girls’ ages range from 5 to 13 and the pitch is locally known as ‘The Field’ in Pollock. “The grass used to be knee-high with squinty goals, but now the grounds are looked after.”

So from Circus skills to Football Coaching and many more opportunities, Rosshall pupils have found this a fulfilling and rewarding exercise. It has developed their self-confidence and awareness of the benefits of youth volunteering to young people at the heart of the community.