Our vision is to see every child and young person in Scotland exploring the Bible and responding to the significance of Jesus.
We are a Christian charity with over 2,500 volunteers and 140 staff working in four contexts: schools, holidays, community-based missions, and training and equipping.
We work in partnership with churches, Associate Trusts and others, offering safe places where young people can have fun, meet new challenges, feel valued, accepted and free to express their views and consider their own beliefs as they engage with peers and Christian leaders. We aim to focus on the needs of those from priority areas in all our activities.
Our outdoor centres—Alltnacriche, Gowanbank and Lendrick Muir— welcome thousands of young people every year. Our campsites at Kingscross and Scoughall are particularly popular in summer. Magnitude events take place year round, with a focus on our annual summer festival.
SU Scotland, New Olympia House, 13 Olympia Street, Glasgow, G40 3TA 0141 332 1162 | info@suscotland.org.uk suscotland.org.uk facebook.com/suscotland youtube.com/suscotland instagram.com/suscotland tiktok.com/suscotland
Scripture Union Scotland is registered in Scotland as a charity (no. SCO11222) and as a company limited by guarantee (no.SC54297). Registered office: New Olympia House, 13 Olympia Street, Glasgow, G40 3TA. ISSN 1357 - 7171
A large print edition is available on request.
4
CREATING A SAFE SPACE
Harry McPhail talks about the difference a safe space makes to young people at risk of not attending school.
6
WHEN WE THINK ALL IS QUIET AT ALLTNACRICHE
Bregtje Sitsma provides insight into what goes on during the ‘quieter’ weeks at Alltnacriche.
12
GROWING LENDRICK MUIR: WHAT’S YOUR STORY?
With exciting plans ahead, we want to hear your memories of our largest residential centre.
14
OUTDOOR INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
Josh Barclay-Watt and Nathan Gordon share the impact of this programme on their lives.
16
CLASSROOM OUTDOORS
Rachel Luxton highlights the difference our school residentials are making to children and young people from across Scotland
18
BEHIND THE SCENES ON THE LOGOS HOPE
Rebecca Tait reveals the SU Scotland digital resources being used to teach children.
WHATEVER YOU DO, WORK AT IT WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AS WORKING FOR THE LORD, NOT FOR HUMAN MASTERS, SINCE YOU KNOW YOU WILL RECEIVE AN INHERITANCE FROM THE LORD AS A REWARD. IT IS THE LORD CHRIST YOU ARE SERVING. COLOSSIANS 3:23–24
Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae captures something of the unique work ethic we can have through Christ: ‘whatever we do’.
This edition of atSU focuses on our centres and campsites, and particularly the often ‘unseen’ work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure children and young people have great residential experiences. We are reassured that this work is not unseen by the Lord as we work at it with all our hearts. At SU Scotland, we want to value all the everyday tasks that make
On pages 6–7, read about all the preparation that goes on at Alltnacriche during the ‘quieter’ winter months, and find out about opportunities to get involved in volunteering at our campsite work parties on pages 10–11.
Read more about our exciting development plans for Lendrick Muir on pages 12–13, that will ensure more children and young people can experience transformational residentials, whilst making the work behind the scenes more manageable for staff and volunteers.
Lastly, discover one of the most popular recipes among
children and staff at Lendrick Muir on page 21—have a go, whether you are catering for 12 or 72!
We hope you enjoy this edition of atSU and, like us, value all that goes on behind the scenes at SU Scotland.
quote_open_roundel Robin MacLellan CEO, SU Scotland robin.maclellan@ suscotland.org.uk social media: @robmaclellan
CREATING
A SAFE
Harry McPhail, Activity Instructor at our outdoor centre in Ayrshire, Gowanbank, describes working with a group of young people who visit the centre once a week for a term. The group from Kilmarnock are all at risk of not attending school, so the programme is designed to support the young people to engage more regularly with each other and their teacher, enjoying the outdoors and building stronger relationships.
Many of these young people face challenges outside school, from limited opportunities for outdoor activities to social and emotional struggles. Coming to Gowanbank gives them a safe space to try new things and build confidence.
Back at the start of term when I first met this group, we took time to get to know each other and build rapport. We set some ground rules for the sessions and agreed a contract about how we speak to each other and how each of us would like to be treated.
Early in the programme we offered site-based activities,
like crate-climbing and tree-climbing. Then, as we got to know and trust each other more, we began to take the group out and about for rock-pooling and bushcraft.
Since then, we have been gradually increasing the adventurousness of the sessions with kayaking and abseiling—activities I don’t think they would have tried earlier on in the programme.
The young people have been coming weekly, and across the term, we’ve noticed them become calmer around us, as we gradually get to know and trust each other.
I love when they want to show me something they have found in a rock-pool or demonstrate their stoneskimming expertise. Being outdoors in God’s creation is such an important ingredient in the whole process and really helps in building positive relationships and sharing our faith.
The group, who all come from a secondary school in Kilmarnock, are building relationships with each other and with their teacher, as
well as with us. One young person told us she only came to the programme because her friend wanted company. I noticed recently that she had come to a session and her friend wasn’t even there!
Not every young person has equal access to a great range of choices and opportunities. We want to ensure that every young person has an opportunity to thrive, to experience the wonder of God’s creation, to understand more about faith and to take part in fun and exciting activities.
It is great to see how a programme like this might lead on to other opportunities. SU Scotland has gaming nights and activity days in the region which we can offer to the young people, or they can join an SU Group. It is exciting to think that young people we support in this way will hear about Jesus and might go on to connect with other SU Scotland events and explore more about Jesus for themselves.
Harry McPhail Activity Instructor, Gowanbank
WHEN WE THINK ALL IS QUIET AT ALLTNACRICHE
Not many groups stay at Alltnacriche, our outdoor centre in Aviemore, between November and January, but we are certainly busy. There is less of a routine, and every winter looks slightly different depending on the projects at hand, but we prioritise meeting together on Thursday mornings for Bible study and food as this strengthens our relationships with God and one another.
There are several jobs that we do every winter that are key to our preparations for the year ahead, and these are planned carefully months in advance. One of the biggest undertakings is our annual deep clean. The whole
Alltnacriche team comes together to thoroughly clean every bedroom and bathroom from top to bottom, ensuring that every space is refreshed and ready to welcome more guests in the spring. This includes tasks such as steam-cleaning mattresses and washing curtains.
Our Facilities Team also sets aside a full week to deep clean the kitchen and dining room, moving large appliances, cleaning behind them, steam-cleaning the dishwasher, and reorganising storage areas to ensure all equipment meets the highest hygiene and safety standards.
These ‘quieter’ months are also our opportunity to
freshen up the centre. Areas that have seen heavy use throughout the year are repainted and revitalised. These improvements may seem small, but they make a real difference to the experience of the children and young people, and other groups who visit.
Much of the practical work goes unnoticed by children and young people but is vital for maintaining high health and safety standards.
Volunteers often support specific teams. For example, the Activities Team undertakes maintenance projects such as repairing canoes and pathways around activity areas.
Meanwhile, the Facilities Team focuses on health and safety tasks, repairs, and preparing the grounds for spring by pressure washing, planting bulbs, and clearing dead plants. This year, volunteers also helped build a polytunnel for use with children and young people.
Specialist contractors carry out annual servicing across the centre. Scheduling this during quieter winter months minimises disruption to our guests.
Winter is not only about practical preparation; it is also a valuable time for learning as a team. Every year the team receives training on health and safety, usage of
machinery, safeguarding and a variety of outdoor activities. This ensures that we continue to operate to a high standard and provide a safe, supportive environment for children and young people. Sometimes we are offered more specialised training.
This year, for example, we completed Deafness and Vision Loss training, equipping us with greater understanding and skills to better support children and young people with additional needs. As summer now begins, we are feeling refreshed, connected as a team and fully prepared for our peak season.
quote_open_roundel
Bregtje Sitsma Guest Services and Facilities Manager, Alltnacriche
'I love returning to Alltnacriche each year as an Assistant Team Leader for an SU Holiday. It is so clear how much the team there cares for both the centre and the young people who visit.
'Although often behind the scenes, the investment made in training, maintenance, and preparation directly shapes the experience young people have on SU Holidays.
'Well-maintained facilities and a highly trained team enable us to create a safe and welcoming environment where young people can try new activities, build confidence, and, most importantly, encounter God. I can’t wait to be back this summer!'
quote_open_roundel Becki Smith Team Leader for an SU Holiday
RACHEL & GAP YEARS
Ichose to take a Gap Year with SU Scotland because I knew others who had done it and enjoyed it, and they encouraged me to apply. Having been involved with SU Scotland throughout my life, I wanted to give something back before starting university. I was placed at Alltnacriche, SU Scotland’s outdoor centre in Aviemore.
Day-to-day life varies depending on the season. During the winter months when there are no school residentials, I’ve had the opportunity to focus on training, including climbing and canoeing. When residentials are running, my days are more structured. I help lead morning activities, supervise lunch and spend afternoons on project work, coursework, or Bible study. There are also many behind-the-scenes tasks, such as cleaning and organising, that keep the centre running smoothly.
Although there are other Gap Year participants across Scotland, and we connect through monthly calls and training, I mainly work with the Schools Team at Alltnacriche. A highlight of the year so far was a three-day team expedition involving canoeing, hiking and staying in bothies. It was a great opportunity to build friendships and enjoy the outdoors, including canoeing under the stars and hiking in the snow.
Another weekly highlight is the final-night campfire with school groups. Singing songs and spending relaxed time together is always special, even if poor weather means moving indoors. While the fun moments stand out, there is also plenty of routine work involved.
This year has helped me grow in confidence, especially in working with different groups of young people. Living in a Christian community has also strengthened my faith. When we have school groups at Alltnacriche, we have daily Bible time with the children and young people. We then look for ways to bring what they have read in the Bible into conversation when we run activities. This has encouraged me to express my faith more openly. I’m excited to help lead summer camps and explore future opportunities with SU Scotland.
quote_open_roundel Rachel Rose, Gap Year, Alltnacriche
& KATE
Idecided to do a Gap Year with SU Scotland after taking part in the COmMISSION programme, when I met someone at Basecamp who had done the Gap Year programme and had a great time.
I am based at SU Scotland’s largest outdoor centre, Lendrick Muir, where I mostly work with the School Team helping with school residentials. My day-to-day life involves supervising and spending time with children and young people during meal and snack times, taking photos of them during activity sessions and doing ‘Bible time’ with them every morning. I also help with evening activities such as quizzes. At the moment we are doing a Taskmaster themed games night with the children and young people, which they really enjoy. I also spend a day per week doing my Gap Year course work, help the House Team with cleaning on changeover days, and work with the Facilities Team on checks such as water flushing and fire doors—all these tasks take time.
I really enjoy being part of the residential experience for the children and young people. I get to see their progression and watch them engage to a point where they are so settled they don’t want to leave.
This has been one of the best places I have worked in terms of support. Everyone looks after each other and supports one another. We look out for one another on rough days and stop to chat. This is my first time away from home as I just left school last summer, so it has been great to have that support.
It is lovely to live in a Christian community. It has been a great experience, but it has also been the first time I have really felt like I have owned my faith. I’ve found my own church and choose to go there myself. Taking ownership of my faith like this has made my relationship with God stronger and more real.
quote_open_roundel Kate Knight, Gap Year, Lendrick Muir
HOLIDAYS BY THE SEA
Thecampsites at Scoughall (North Berwick) and Kingscross (Arran) hold a special place in the hearts of many people. Thousands of young people have ‘camped’ at the seaside sites over the years and many talk of them being the place where their faith journey began. An SU Holiday at Kingscross or Scoughall, alongside holidays at our Centres, gives young people and their families good choice and a range of cost. Staffing is kept to a minimum but over the summer four students are employed to serve as facilities assistants, living onsite and ensuring the campsites are kept clean and ready to welcome a different group each week of the summer.
The campsites rely heavily on volunteers to keep them well-maintained, clean and tidy and both have a fantastic groups of volunteers who share their expertise and give
time because they love the sites and want to see them used well by SU Holidays and weekends, church groups and youth groups. Once a month, from October to Mark, work parties take place at Scoughall and work party weekends at Kingscross every two months. Work includes cleaning, gardening, painting, plumbing, joinery and general maintenance, accompanied by good food, fellowship, fun and friendship. The hard work does not go unnoticed, with Holiday Team Leaders commenting:
'Scoughall is a wonderful location. The facilities have clearly seen some muchneeded attention in the last year which was great to see.'
'We love Kingscross and are delighted by the improvements that are happening and are excited for the changes still to come.'
This summer, alongside general activity holidays, some young people will take part in specialist events: SUrf and Creative Arts holidays at Scoughall and the second Golf holiday at Kingscross. We hope that each and every child who visits returns home feeling like these two campers: 'Everything was genuinely perfect, couldn't have been better. The leaders, campers and food were all amazing.'
—Scoughall camper
'The activities were so fun and the leaders were awesome.'
—Kingscross camper
Will you join us in being part of the framework that sees residentials transforming the lives of children and young people?
quote_open_roundel Graeme Stangoe
Holidays Operations Manager
JOIN US IN BEING PART OF THE FRAMEWORK
More volunteers results in more being achieved to ensure our campsites remain special places for children and young people to make memories and grow in their faith journeys. Email our Holidays Department to join the mailing list and hear about volunteer opportunities: holidays@suscotland.org.uk
GROWING LENDRICK MUIR: WHAT'S YOUR STORY?
For more than 25 years, thousands of children and young people have encountered hope, grown in their faith in Jesus, and experienced moments that have shaped their lives at Lendrick Muir. It is a place where they are warmly welcomed, encouraged, and surrounded by friendship and belonging. We invite you to share your Lendrick Muir stories, celebrating the ways it has been part of your journey of faith and belonging.
With action-packed holidays, school residentials and weekends, inspiring training events and the excitement of the Magnitude Festival, Lendrick Muir bursts with activity almost all year round.
Eilidh, one of our faithful leaders who grew up loving her time as a camper, described Lendrick Muir as her 'second home'. She said:
'It is not just a house that provides fun activities, it is a home that provides everyone with a place to belong.'
This is the heart of Lendrick Muir, and it is what we hope to protect and strengthen for the generations still to come.
Since opening in 1999 Lendrick Muir has grown into a vibrant hub that now welcomes over 11,000 visitors each year and, praise God, the demand is rising. After 25 years of intensive usage, with staff and volunteers doing their best to work across disjointed sections of the building, we are now embarking on a development project. We plan to remodel sections of the main house and create a sustainable, inclusive, connected wing that better meets the needs of guests and staff. Critically this will ensure that more and more children
and young people’s lives can be transformed can in their 'second home', Lendrick Muir.
With improved, betterconnected facilities, accessibility upgrades and expanded residential spaces, we plan to future-proof Lendrick Muir and increase capacity by up to 15%. That’s 15% more opportunities for children and young people to encounter Jesus and, like Eilidh, find a safe place to spend time with God and feel comfortable to explore and challenge their faith.
We are praying and seeking God’s wisdom over these plans and entrusting them to his provision and grace.
We also know that so many of you, our wonderful supporters, hold Lendrick Muir close to your hearts. We would like your help in sharing this vision for our beloved centre—we would love to hear your Lendrick Muir stories!
Whether you came as a camper, a volunteer, a leader or a parent, the memories you carry from Lendrick Muir have the power to inspire others and strengthen our fundraising efforts for this development project in the months ahead. Maybe more than one generation in your family has cherished Lendrick Muir and had lifetransforming moments there? YOUR INVITATION
Join us in seeing this vision become a reality. We can't wait to hear from you!
Share your best stories: support@ suscotland.org.uk
Hear more about our plans for development of Lendrick Muir: lendrickmuir.org.uk/ grow
Pray and help shape the next chapter of this special place—investing in the eternal future of our children and young people by providing space for them to discover, explore, respond and flourish.
Look out for our Growing Lendrick Muir appeal coming soon! Please keep the enclosed postcard as a reminder.
Scan here to give now:
OUTDOOR INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
SU Scotland's Outdoor Instructor Development Programme enables young people to train as an instructor in some of Scotland's outdoor beauty spots, whilst growing in their relationship with God.
Young people can take part in our one-year voluntary internship as a stepping stone to prepare them for applying to the paid Trainee Instructor Programme that works towards National Governing Body (NGB) Qualifications.
Josh Barclay-Watt is in his first year of the Trainee Instructor Programme at Alltnacriche, and Nathan Gordon, pictured left, is in his second year.
Ihadtwo questions when I moved up from Manchester to Aviemore in May 2025: 'What are you trying to teach me, Lord?' and 'What’s my purpose here?' It was when I arrived at Alltnacriche in late July for the first time that I think these questions began to be answered. Seeing how the team supported children and young people through each challenge they faced in their time here at Alltnacriche was something that not only excited me but provided a purpose that I had been asking God for. Having previously studied Theology, the lessons that I can see God teaching me are very different. The team at Alltnacriche are not only driven by seeing young people grow and get to know Jesus, but as a team there is a real focus on personal growth and development as well.
My personal growth this year has happened through team Bible studies throughout the winter, which have been so precious. As Instructors, we encourage one another out of our comfort zone. Learning to be comfortable in the uncomfortable is something God is continuing to teach me. Having been here for almost eight months now, I can see clearly how God is developing my skills and giftings in how I work with young people and see them take steps towards Jesus. If you want to be in the outdoors making some memories while making a difference for the Kingdom, I could not recommend SU Scotland’s Trainee Instructor Programme more!
Josh, Trainee Instructor, First year
Myoutdoor instructing journey started in 2021 at a canoe camp. I had signed up to this camp as it was something a bit different to the camps I normally went on, and I was completely blown away by how amazing it was. The atmosphere felt like a family, sitting around the fire for our Bible teachings in the evening, sleeping under the stars. All this started to make me wonder what it would be like to work somewhere like Alltnacriche. I applied for the Internship starting in August 2023. Initially I only planned to be a year out from education, but God had other plans. I applied for the Trainee Instructor Programme after massively enjoying the first seven months of my intern year and growing in my faith. Fast forward two years, and I am now in the second year of the Trainee Instructor Programme.
The opportunities that I have had through this job have been incredible: chances to grow, chances to gain outdoor qualifications, increasing my knowledge and experience, but most importantly chances to share my faith with others. I work with a diverse range of children and young people through school residentials, weekends, SU Holidays and our Growing Together Programme, designed to follow SU Scotland's Discover, Explore, Respond, Flourish framework with a focus on individual young people. The team, the work we do and the people we work with have made my time here immensely special; I cannot wait to see what God does next!
quote_open_roundel Nathan, Trainee Instructor, Second year
CLASSROOM OUTDOORS
During the school terms, our three centres are buzzing with the excitement of young people on their school residential. We welcome schools from all over Scotland. Most bring pupils from P5 to S6; the majority of our groups are P7s enjoying their final year in primary school and preparing for the move to secondary school. When schools are at our centres, they enjoy a multi-activity week hosted by the centre staff.
Our programmes are designed with the school to support Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence, promoting holistic growth and empowering pupils to develop essential social and personal skills, building self-esteem, deepening relationships, and growing their confidence and resilience.
Before a school arrives on a Monday morning, our team are bustling around the centres to clean the building after the weekend groups and carry out any essential maintenance. We then set up, ready to welcome the young people and teachers off the bus. Our admin teams work to collate the relevant
information from the schools to ensure that we have everything in place to make the residential an amazing experience, from activities to meals to accommodation.
We see many schools come back every year and we have built strong relationships with them. They value our commitment to support and value every young person and create a welcoming atmosphere. For many young people, this is the first time away from home and during the residential they make amazing memories and grow in their confidence.
During a residential there are lots of action-packed activities as well as time to review their days, through themes like teamwork and resilience. These sessions help to embed curricular learning from the activity experiences, and give children and young people a space to reflect on their week.
For groups moving to high school, we often use the MOVE resource, which uses Bible stories to reflect on the experience of preparing to start secondary school. For example, in the first session we look at the
emotions children might be feeling about starting secondary school. The resource takes them through the story of Jesus calming the storm, teaching them that Jesus truly cared for the disciples in the storm and that he is so much bigger than any situation they were facing. For many of the children, it is the first time they will have discovered these Bible stories. Afterwards, children are invited to SU Holidays where they can explore more.
In February Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Act 2026 was established, that will see all pupils in state and grant-aided schools given the opportunity to experience at least four nights and five days of residential outdoor education during their time at school. This demonstrates the importance of an outdoor residential within the Scottish Curriculum and we are excited to work with schools as the guidance is worked through for this new bill.
Did you know that SU Scotland’s digital resources are used on the Logos Hope ship to teach the children of staff on board, as they sail across the world? We interviewed Head Teacher, Rebecca Tait, to find out more.
Q: Please tell us a bit about yourself and how you came to work on Logos Hope.
My name is Rebecca and I’m originally from Glasgow. Since August 2025 I’ve been working as a volunteer on board the Logos Hope as a teacher, and from December as headteacher. My journey to Logos Hope began back in 2021 when I saw an Instagram advert looking for teachers to serve on board the ship. I felt led to apply to become a primary teacher in Scotland, so that I could work as a teacher on board. Right now, the plan is to be on the ship until summer 2027.
Q: What is the overall vision of the ship, and how does your role fit into this?
The ship, Logos Hope, is sent out by an organisation called GBA Ships with the vision to 'share knowledge, help and hope'. The main ways that we share our vision with others is by inviting people on board to visit our bookfair—with over 5,000 different titles on sale—or attend an event.
I work behind the scenes, educating the children who live on the ship while they are away from their home countries. We often connect with local schools onshore and share teaching practices. Sometimes the children can connect with local children too and partner with school classes onshore.
Q: How many children and young people are on the ship? What age range are they?
Currently the school has approximately 20 students from seven different countries, aged 18 months–12 years, (and six teachers from five different countries). On board we use the British curriculum, so our classes are split into Foundation stage, Reception, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2— right now, I’m teaching the Reception class.
Q: What SU Scotland resources do you use when teaching an RME curriculum?
At the moment we are using the One Big Story resources on board with our Key Stage 1 and 2 children. (One Big Story came about as a result of seeing the effectiveness of our Bible Alive programme in schools. This exciting programme teaches children in P5–P7 the whole storyline of the
Bible in a series of interactive multimedia lessons. The One Big Story digital resource is another way we can impact children by helping them to understand the Bible as 'one big story', seeing how the individual stories connect.)
Q: How did you find out about these resources?
I have been involved with SU Scotland for as long as I can remember in various ways, and when I boarded the ship, their resources were recommended to me as something that could be useful for teaching the children.
Q: What do you find helpful about the resources?
I think it is really useful that they are split into terms and that there are lots of different activity options. As a small, floating school, we don’t always have the same number of resources (or children) as schools on land, and it has been really helpful to have different ways suggested to adapt the teaching. The reflection questions at the end have also been a great way to get the children thinking about the story they’ve heard and form their own thoughts about it.
Q: How have the children responded?
The children have responded very positively to the
resources. They arrive excited about what the next story and activities are going to be.
Q: Where have you been on the ship, and when is it coming to the UK? Can our readers visit it?
So far, I have sailed to: Montego Bay, Jamaica; Freeport, Bahamas; Nassau, Bahamas; Road Town, British Virgin Islands; Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis; St Johns, Antigua and Barbuda; St Georges, Grenada; Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines; Scarborough, Tobago; Port of Spain, Trinidad; and Hamilton, Bermuda. The ship begins its visit to Europe on 19 March in Malaga, Spain. We will be in Edinburgh from 9–21 July and Aberdeen from 21 July–5 August. As the world’s largest floating bookfair, we love to have visitors on board, and everyone is welcome to visit our bookfair or come to one of our onboard events! You can keep an eye on social media or our website for when we are open nearer the time.
Find out more about the SU Scotland resources Rebecca mentions online: suscotland.org.uk/ onebigstory suscotland.org.uk/ biblealive
BEHIND THE SCENES AT LENDRICK MUIR
What better way to gain insight into what goes on behind the scenes at Lendrick Muir than to explore a day in the life of the Facilities Team! It is a long and busy day, so let’s get started...
8:00 TEAM BRIEF
Dave, Nathan and Matt, along with a number of volunteers, look after Lendrick Muir’s 120 acres, 35 bedrooms, 33 toilets, 34 showers, not to mention the boilers, pipes, radiators… the list goes on, so the opportunity to plan, prepare and pray as a team is vital.
8:30 MORNING THOUGHT
The wider Lendrick Muir team gather daily to read the Bible and pray together.
9:00 BUILDING CHECKS
On a Monday and Friday, there are building checks to complete ahead of our School or Weekend guests arriving. There are radiators to bleed, the fire alarm to test, and on days when the House team is short on staff, the Facilities Team will help with turnaround. There are always breakages and ‘reactive’ maintenance to deal with daily too.
10:30 TIME FOR TEA AND THE ESSENTIAL BISCUITS!
10:45 GROUNDS MAINTENANCE
Weekly volunteers Martin, Al and John are responsible for much of the grounds maintenance—building fences, chopping wood, mending machinery and cutting grass etc. We could not operate without them!
Al (a volunteer here for 5 years!) says, 'It’s the highlight of my week coming here. I love playing a small part in helping the LM Team deliver a memorable and Christ-driven experience for the young people and their teachers.'
12:30 LUNCH
Matt and Fraser from our Catering Team are regularly found eating their lunch over a game of chess.
1:15 MORE JOBS
Clearing the drains are not glamorous or quick, but they are necessary.
3:30 TIME FOR MORE TEA AND EVEN MORE ESSENTIAL BISCUITS!
3:45 SAFETY AUDITS AND CHECKS
4:45 PLUMBING AND HEATING MAINTENANCE
Plumbing and heating is a challenge in an old and constantly used building, so much time is taken up maintaining and repairing the Biomass and boilers to keep our guests comfortable.
6:30 HOME TIME
Even still, one of the team is always on duty to respond to any issues arising outside of office hours.
MUFFIN MANIA
very year our Catering Team at Lendrick Muir serve in excess of 2,000 muffins! They are always a favourite with School Residentials (and the team, if there are any left over).
Our Catering Manager, Rhoda, says, 'They are made fresh on the day they are being served. It is the energy boost the kids need during a busy afternoon of activities, and it keeps them going until dinner. We are fortunate to have volunteers, like Carol (above), who come weekly to bake. Our volunteers are vital during the busy school season because it can be a challenge serving in different parts of the building when staff numbers are limited. We have a fantastic team though, and working with so many great people is a real highlight. It is also lovely when the kids try new foods and enjoy what we’ve made. We get some lovely thank you cards.'
Rhoda's Famous Chocolate Chip Muffins
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180°C (Gas Mark 4)
2. In a bowl, mix together all dry ingredients.
3. In another bowl, mix together all wet ingredients.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients together by stirring gently.
5. It will be lumpy—but do not overmix!
6. Spoon the batter into muffin cases, half-filling each case.
7. Bake for 13-15 minutes until lightly golden.
PRAYER HOTLINE
Register now to receive weekly prayer information, prayer letters from Team Leaders prior to their events, and updates as needs arise.
suscotland.org.uk/ prayerhotline
SU MISSIONS
Missions and holiday clubs provide a fabulous setting for children to have fun and learn about Jesus. Find resources and a list of holiday clubs running this summer online. suscotland.org.uk/ missions
SU HOLIDAYS
To find out about and book spaces on an SU Holiday, visit the holidays website: suholidays.org.uk
MAGNITUDE 2026
18–22 July
Lendrick Muir
Magnitude is an annual Christian youth festival for young people aged 11–18. Based at Lendrick Muir, you'll find space to encounter God, enjoy community and experience nature together. magnitude.org.uk/2026
VOLUNTEER TRAINING
• Emergency First Aid
16 June
SU Scotland, Glasgow Office
• Allergy Awareness (online)
• Food Hygiene (online)
Training courses are open to SU Scotland volunteers. Book online or contact the Volunteers Department: volunteers@suscotland.org.uk suscotland.org.uk/events
BIG CELEBRATION 2026 SAVE THE DATE
22 August, Lendrick Muir
Our guest speaker is Paul Johnston. Paul joined the Board of Scripture Union as a trustee in 2023, having seen the impact of Scripture Union camps and ministries in the lives of his children and many other young people. Join us for main sessions, seminars, activities, and a ceilidh to finish off the night!
suscotland.org.uk/ bigcelebration
suscotland.org.uk/bsg
CRUMBS!—Exploring the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000! This resource includes everything you need to hold an all-age church service, children’s talk or youth service at the start of the new school year—plus prayers, crafts and activities. Find out more and register online.
EQUIP PUPIL LEADER TRAINING
In-person training
12 September, 10am–4.00pm
SU Scotland Glasgow Office, New Olympia House, 13 Olympia Street, Glasgow G40 3TA
Are you in S3–S6 and interested in starting an SU Group in your school, or helping to lead an existing one? Join us for our next series of training sessions and take up the baton of leadership! suscotland.org.uk/ equiptraining
GO CONFERENCE
9–12 October
Lendrick Muir
The Go Conference is SU Scotland’s national youth conference for S4–S6 pupils who want to grow in their relationship with God and understanding of the Bible. Bookings go live June 2026.
