Published on:
30
June 2008
The annual exchange programme with young people from the county's twinning partners is about to get underway. Following the success of last year's inaugural twinning exchange programme, another fun-filled timetable has been arranged.
Seven French and 11 Spanish youngsters will arrive in Alloa on Tuesday 1st July and be met by their host families. And on Wednesday morning the group of 35 youngsters will leave for two days of activities at Dalguise in Perthshire. Set in the beautiful Perthshire countryside on the banks of the River Tay, Dalguise is an adventure activity centre for young people where they can learn new skills and have lots of fun trying everything from archery and fencing to raft building and kayaking.
Other entertainment organised for the week includes a ceilidh and visits to Deep Sea World, St Andrews and the Scottish Parliament.
Then on 9th July the Clackmannanshire youngsters will leave for France and Spain to stay with host families. In France, the young people will visit an equestrian event in Vendargues celebrating the 'salt route' - a traditional ride to trade sea salt in mountain areas. In Espartinas, Spain, the youngsters will spend time hiking, swimming and joining their hosts in team sports.
Policy Officer Jane Adamson, who organised the exchange, said, 'The exchange is a great opportunity for young people from Clackmannanshire to experience other cultures. It's a more in-depth experience than most holidays because the groups stay with host families, which helps language skills as well as giving real insight into the countries and setting up friendships for life.'
The programme has again been successful in obtaining a twinning grant through the Europe for Citizens Programme and the Council has also received donations towards the exchange from Lawscript, Unison and Vinci Construction.