Linlithgow Academy pupils engage with older people and win £3000

The pupils’ efforts have also secured an award of £3000 for a local charity.

They won the award through the Youth Philanthropy Initiative, which is run by the Wood Foundation in Scotland. Since the initiative started in 2008 over 300,000 young people have been involved, helping distribute £6.8 million to charities. 

The annual programme is designed to raise awareness of social issues while helping students develop skills and confidence. 

S3 pupils Alice Redding, Aaron Wilson, Charlene Chan, Eliana Smith and Emma McInnes, who are all aged 14, were invited to a tea party run by charity Re-engage, which helps those aged 75 and over who may be isolated. 

Charlene said: “Before we got involved we just didn’t realise how loneliness affected older people. It’s really opened our eyes and we want to highlight the problem.” 

The pupils decided to focus on older people after learning that some members of their own families suffered loneliness. They then discovered that Re-engage was dedicated to fighting the problem in older people and asked if they could see the charity in action and make a short film. 

Lorraine Colquhoun, who has volunteered for Re-engage for more than 20 years and runs free monthly tea parties in four venues in West Lothian, was more than happy to accommodate them. 

She said: “It was lovely to have the students at the tea party. The older people really enjoyed their company and it was an absolutely delightful surprise to learn we had been given £3000.

“We’d like to thank Alice, Aaron, Charlene, Eliana and Emma for coming along – and winning us the money.” 

The charity, which started in 1965, runs a call befriending service as well as tea parties and free activity groups where older people can do chair yoga, tai-chi or carpet bowls. It currently helps around 60 older people. 

Lynn Raynal, programme officer for YPI, said: “The students gave an absolutely fantastic presentation.

“It was lovely to watch and impressed everyone – the judging panel and hundreds of students and teachers. It’s clear that they have really engaged with the charity and will continue to do so.”