How long have you worked at Camphill School Aberdeen?

I have worked here for seven years. I have worked at Cherrywood for three years, and before that, I worked at Murtle garden and farm.

What brought you to Camphill School Aberdeen?

I have been familiar with Camphill for 30 years. My grandparents worked here and so did my dad, so I have grown up with CSA. We lived in Peterculter and I have fond memories of coming here as a youngster to use the pool. I also have a vague recollection of the horses here when I was little.

I started working at Camphill at Murtle garden and farm, and during lockdown workers who were from other countries went home to be with their families due to the uncertainty of the situation, meaning more staff were needed at Cherrywood, so I started work there – and I didn’t leave!

What does your role at Camphill School Aberdeen consist of?

Every day is so different as an ASN, and my main role is to help residents with all their daily tasks. A typical day starts by helping them to get showered and dressed, followed by breakfast.

I then support the students at their morning workshops. There are 15 vocational workshops on offer at Camphill including everything from woodwork and weaving to bike maintenance providing meaningful work experience.

We then return to the house for lunch, before attending their afternoon workshop.

After a busy day, residents return to the house and have a rest hour before sitting down to supper. We then tidy up before moving on to evening activities including things like folk dancing, movie nights and Zumba. It really is great fun!

During the summer, residents have a two-week break from workshops, so we go on a number of outings including trips to local places like Crathes Castle, the circus, the cinema, and local parks.

Are there any highlights that stand out to you during your time at Camphill School Aberdeen?

There have been a number of highlights over the years for me here, but the most recent thing that stands out for me is our house holiday to Loch Tay. It was the first time I had taken the students on holiday, and I was quite nervous at the start as we were away from Camphill and its facilities, but the trip was brilliant and seeing the students enjoying themselves was a real highlight for me.

How much of a difference will the capital appeal campaign, when complete, make to students and their families at Camphill School Aberdeen?

Once completed, the capital appeal campaign will make such a difference to our students and their families. It will be fantastic to be able to offer more places for new residents and staff at a time when there is a real demand for care facilities.

It will also be great to integrate with the outside community through the new facilities that will be on offer at the new Murtle Market. I think it is important for people to have a better understanding of the hard work that goes on at Camphill School Aberdeen, and experience it for themselves.