Speaker Evening

Befriending was the theme at the meeting of the Rotary Club of South Queensferry on Thursday 23rd May. The speaker, Jane Harkin, is a daughter of former club member and Past President the late Captain Ken Crowther. She is an organiser of Big Hearts Befriending, which was launched in 2017. Big Hearts is a charity combined with Hearts Football Club. Kinship care is the target of their Family Focus Strategy. The Big Hearts Befrienders Project offers the opportunity for children aged 7 to 14 years who are in kinship care, to take part in social activities every week in the company of a trained adult Big Hearts volunteer. Depending on the young person's interests activities can include baking, ice skating, climbing Arthur's Seat or going to the cinema. With kinship care arrangements on the rise across Scotland, befriending addresses a real area of need. Building a relationship with a trusted role model can improve young people's emotional wellbeing and self-esteem allowing them to become more active in their community. To date, over twenty volunteers have been enlisted with more due to be recruited in the course of the year. In addition to befriending, Big Hearts, in partnership with the Broomhouse Centre, provides after school care clubs, organises family days and offers free places on holiday football courses.

Jane was introduced by Iain Fairbairn. The vote of thanks was proposed by Eric Proven.