The Ellen Kerr Awards scheme is well known for awarding funding for various activities throughout the year for SAYFC west members and clubs.

The stipulation for funding is that the award will have a positive impact on the welfare and activities of the club/district and its members.

In general that has meant that members have been applying for funding for items such as clothing, sports kit, laptops, printers, projectors, gazebos etc, all worthwhile requests, however, the trustees of the award scheme are hoping to encourage more innovative applications by awarding an annual trophy to the club/district/region that comes up with a new and exciting idea that they can help fund.

The first winner of the trophy, 'The Ellen Kerr Quaich’, is west chairman, Lizzie McJannet, after she successfully secured funding for the junior weekend she organised for the west region from the past year 2018/19, when she was regional chairman.

Back in November 2018, 12 SAYFC members with aged between 14 to 17 from across the west region spent the weekend at Lockerbie Manor Activity Centre. They came from various clubs including Lower Nithsdale, Avondale and Kilmaurs. They did team building and ice breaker games on the first night to get acquainted. Then over the weekend they followed up with a high ropes course, crate stack, paddle boarding, raft building and abseiling.  It was a great way for them to meet other juniors from across the west, and from meeting, many have kept in touch.

Lizzie said of the funding: “The Ellen Kerr funding made the weekend possible by supporting it financially, reducing the cost significantly per junior. It simply would not have been possible without the backing of the scheme.

“After running the west version, I got clearance to run it under the branching of the International Committee and it went national this year.  I led a group at the Abernethy site, in Killin, in early August. That weekend had juniors ranging from Caithness to Ayr in attendance. The group did gorge walking, canoeing, cliff jumping and high ropes.

“Both weekends allowed juniors the chance for new experiences and to get completely outside their comfort zone; which was the whole idea behind it.”

In addition to Lizzie receiving the trophy, the west region has also received an award of £500 for this excellent project to further the efforts of the region in attracting and retaining membership.

Exciting and innovative applications will be gladly received from clubs and districts across the west region, and the west region itself. The next deadline for applications is September 16, and should be emailed to ellen_kerr_@hotmail.com