WELL that's Easter done and dusted for another year and I'm hearing that the weather was positively glorious for the kids first week off school.

 

However, this was sadly followed by the usual hail, rain and in some places even snow this week, but hey, even though it's supposed to be spring, we're Scottish and so that's just the way the weather cookie crumbles.

I flew out to Lourdes on Easter Sunday as a volunteer for the wonderful HCPT charity and arrived to beautiful sunshine, singing in the valleys and a whole host of familiar faces I sadly only get to see once a year.

Usually I travel as a helper which means I would be paired with one of the children in the group and I'd be responsible for that kid's welfare during our weeks pilgrimage.

This year, however, I was honoured to have been asked to instead travel as an Ambassador for the Trust.

It was a new and extremely different role for me as my job was to go around Lourdes for the week interacting with groups not only from the Scottish Region of the charity but from all over the UK, Ireland, USA, Croatia and the West Indies, to name but a few countries.

My first task was to host the opening Monday night concert which had been so expertly put together by our Trustee Andy Clare and Di Reid, although I did laugh when I found out it was pirate themed this year.

After playing a pirate for 10 weeks over Christmas in Treasure Island I thought I'd hung up my black boots and eye patch for good but it was the reaction to my last minute decision to sing Let it Go from the smash hit Disney movie Frozen at the concert that took me most by surprise.

It's just one of those songs that as an adult you either love or hate and let's face it if your child has been watching that movie on repeat for the last year or so I can appreciate why you might be right now twitching, shaking and shuddering at the mere mention of the song.

But there's no denying that the kids absolutely love it.

In fact there must have been around 1000 people at the concert and the volume created during that song actually made me stop to listen with a wee tear in my eye.

After that I was given the highest seal of approval and could do no wrong as far as the children were concerned and I spent the rest of the week being called Elsa (although let's face it clearly carrying a little holiday weight) and singing the song at least five times a day while promising to pass lots of messages on to little Olaf the snowman when I got home.

I did however, meet some incredible groups from all over the world and spent most of my week in tears of joy at some of the amazing children I met who were nothing short of an inspiration to me.

This is why I love HCPT as each year we travel with kids who have very different reasons for being there with us.

Some kids are very severely disabled, while others live in very difficult social circumstances.

Some of the children will have experienced great loss while others are actually carers themselves for a parent or loved one back home which is unbelievable to imagine someone so young has that much responsibility on their young shoulders.

Whatever the reason or circumstances for these kids travelling to Lourdes I always feel honoured and humbled to be in their presence and so utterly grateful that an organisation such as this exists.

Next year sees the 60th anniversary of HCPT and my own 20th anniversary of volunteering with the charity so I know it's going to be a big one.

I have to say a very special thank you to Laura and George for giving me the opportunity to travel as an Ambassador and to Angela, Andy, Janie and all the amazing helpers in Gp 138 who allowed me to be a part of such an incredibly special week.

Lastly I must mention the nine unbelievable kids who shone like a big bright light in our group and who made me laugh and cry with joy every single day.

Rosaleen, Nicola Clair, Linsey, Lewis B, Ryan, Lewis M, Olivia, Vivianna and wee Shannon thank you deep down in our hearts for making us rise and shine with happiness every minute of every day last week and remember Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole 138.

If you'd like to find out more about HCPT or how you can donate just log on to www.hcpt.org.uk