Ahoy! The Craig!
Ahoy! The Craig!
Our Carrick Money Advice Service (CMAS) planned a summer trip to Ailsa Craig with some of the families who use the service. Ailsa Craig is an uninhabited island lying in the Firth of Clyde just off the coast of Girvan, South Ayrshire.
The CMAS team were keen to make sure that this year’s summer trip would create an adventure for the families and children who live in the local area “The children said they felt nervous and excited about going on the boat, they’d never been on a boat before, and didn’t know what to expect.”
Ailsa Craig is visible from Girvan, one of the children remarked that the island seems to follow them in the daily life as they travel to and from the town.
Enjoying stories with Malcolm, former Lighthouse Keeper of Ailsa Craig
Hamish our much loved mascot was invited along for the trip and shared in the children’s adventures.
Malcolm, the former lighthouse keeper on Ailsa Craig, joined the families too, captivating the children with stories about the island and its history. As the boat neared the island, one child cried out “AHOY! THE CRAIG!”
The children experienced shifts in their perception, the once small island became huge as the boat sailed in to berth, and the land exploring began. The children’s home town of Girvan seemed to become, as one children remarked, a distant “fog of nothing” on the horizon, as they all looked back home across the sea.
Mermaids, shipwrecks, sea shells, abandoned houses with old tins and books still sitting on shelves and tables sparked the children’s imaginations. The wildlife on the island on that beautiful day have all combined into memories of an exceptional day. The children’s experiences inspiring them to create artwork and sketches to remember their day, and the adventures their families enjoyed.
The families have told us, that their day in Ailsa Craig was one of the best days they’ve ever had. One child remarked that she had often “dreamed of Ailsa Craig”, and on that day during their adventure she said “dreams can come true.”
Stepping Stones for Families seeks to create opportunities for people to build new and positive connections, enabling them to explore new and positive experiences, to pursue their aspirations and dreams.