Your AOEC Stories

My story begins with AOER (Arran Outdoor Education Resource) as it was back in the late 1990's ... I'm about 12 at the time and remember joining one of the annual summer schools; open to locals and visiting kids alike for a week of adventure, learning and growth. At that age of course it was all about 'fun!' but looking back now at the many years of summer school with AOER it was in-fact SO SO much more. Each summer I'd see the same group on the summer school; but with each year we get to do more, going further and learning skills which ironically I now pass onto others. The week would consist of orienteering, climbing, mountain biking, gorge walking, powerboating, sailing, kayaking, camping and walking to name just a few! It was action packed and led by instructors that as a kid I looked up to; adults passing on skills that I now find myself passing onto my niece and nephew ... from map reading to handling boats I'd come back each year buzzing from the adventures had whilst my school friends did the usual summer holiday 'stuff'. So did this 'fun' matter? YES - I learnt about taking safe risks, how to socialise with other kids/adults, how to learn and apply new skills in the real world and more than anything else grow in self confidence doing things that every kid SHOULD have the right to experience. Roll onto early 2003 and as a teenager I was out on the AOER Redbay RIB doing my RYA Powerboat courses with Nigel (their lead instructor at the time); who incidentally was also a helm on the RNLI lifeboat at the time. Why is this important you may wonder?? We'll lets roll forward again some years to me as an adult; I remember every summer camp and now do the same things with my niece and nephew who come to visit us. Passing on skills like map reading, bush craft and water sports ... just like the instructors did when I was their age. I now teach scuba diving, run a kayak and SUP hire operation AND you'll also find me with an RNLI pager on my waist just like Nigel. So did AOER (now AOEC) leave a life long impact on me ... I THINK SO ... was the time and money just 'fun'; heck no ... it's impacting young generations right now with me passing on those lessons I learnt all those years ago! So why oh why do the council even consider the closure of AOEC as doing the right thing? Take it away and where are those kids learning life skills now that go on to pass it along in 20 years?! I couldn't image what life would have been like had I of not had that opportunity and now when I look at AOEC today ... wow ... those kids have it even better! Saving this centre is so much more than 'saving money' and whilst It's hard to fathom the impact for anyone who has never had the opportunity I hope my brief story shows how a young lad on a summer camp went on to impact the lives of others all thanks to the instructors who took the time to care and share their skills.