A very special evening with some very special guests

A group of young people with additional support needs have been given star treatment at Eat on the Green thanks to funding from Aberdeenshire Council.

The children attend a fortnightly “Life Skills Group” operated by Flexible Childcare Services (FCSS) through their “Wrap Around Care” contract with Aberdeenshire Council.

The experience was organised by additional funding from Aberdeenshire Council through The Summer of Play Fund and FCSS planned something special for the children as some of them were leaving the group to move onto Adult Services.

The first of these unique experiences was on Friday 25th June where FCSS teamed up with Craig Wilson, the Kilted Chef, to offer a full Prom experience for children in the group. The children were picked up in a limousine from Ian Gauld in Dunecht, and ferried to Eat on the Green for a red-carpet welcome and a five course a la cart meal. The evening was completed by a Magician who kept the children fully entertained.

The children had an amazing time, and a photographer was on hand to take some lovely pictures which will be used to make memory books for the children.

Head of Additional Support Needs Services and Regional Manager for Aberdeenshire, Maureen Rennie, said

“To see the smiles on the children’s faces makes all the organising worthwhile. The children had an amazing experience, and they were treated like royalty by everyone. It is something they will never forget”

Flexible Childcare Services Scotland, a national charity who run numerous services across Aberdeenshire, has been funded by Aberdeenshire Council’s Wrap Around Care to create unique opportunities for children with additional needs so that they can participate in after school, Saturday’s and holiday playschemes. This includes the children being out in their communities and trying new skills within their groups.

The extra funding will be used to support several activities all aimed at giving children and families an opportunity to socialise with each other and for the children to get out and about after such a difficult period of restrictions with Covid which saw their usual routine disrupted.

A Family Fun Day is being held for FCSS families from across Aberdeenshire on the 18th July at Haddo House and there is also some other family activities organised over the Summer period.

Each group FCSS operate have outings planned over the Summer ranging from a disco bus, bowling, children’s festival to visits to Den in the Glen.

One of the children who was involved in the outing on the disco bus said:

“I’m going to remember these memories for the rest of life that’s for sure”