Reaching ‘Great Heights!’

Fun and more

Whilst this is clearly a fun activity for the schools, a visit to Clip ‘n Climb provides the children with much more in terms of opportunities to meet challenges and build self-confidence in a new setting. And, thanks to Rotary sponsorship, and the generous support of Clip ‘n Climb, the event could be made available to some who might otherwise not have these opportunities.

The children arrived in good time for a safety briefing and a video demonstration. They were all kitted out with a harness, given full instructions and assistance to rope up to the climbing walls. Many of them went very quiet when they walked into the centre and saw the sheer height of some of the walls, but within no time the room was buzzing with children challenging themselves. Many reached ‘great heights’ including one of our very own fellow Rotarians who was coerced to give the climbing a go! (Spot him on the wall.)

Watching the children push themselves and be able to concentrate in this way is inspiring. Some of those more timid children came into their own with a real self-belief in themselves, which was a joy to see. It was also lovely to see the children engaged and encourage each other, especially as they were all from different schools.

Mark Lowery from Langer Primary Academy said ‘’Clip ‘n Climb was a brilliant experience for our children. It was fantastic to see them grow in confidence and belief as the session went on. The lessons they learned - about perseverance, pushing themselves, trying again and again, and being brave - will benefit them for a long time to come. The children absolutely loved it!"

Andrew Rowdon, youth development coordinator for the Rotary Club of Felixstowe, said “This is such a great opportunity for the children to discover new skills and challenges that often help overcome any fear and trepidation. Hearing some of the children’s difficulties and what they have been through was quite staggering but seeing them build their confidence was really heart-warming."