After more than a decade, I had the privilege of helping out in person as a marshal
on one of the three coaches from West Norfolk schools. Things have really changed
in the ten years or so since I last helped out on the day. Twenty or so Rotarians
used to have to supervise two kids each, all day, including going on the rides with
them. We ended up dead on our feet and slept all the way home on the coach. Nowadays,
because of ‘child protection’, the children are all supervised by helpers from their
schools, and the three Rotarians are there simply to do the admin, a doddle.
However Chris Sykes, who organises Kids Out on behalf of district, ran a hospitality
tent with a well stocked drinks cooler so we passed the time most amiably. Throughout
district over a thousand disadvantaged kids were treated to the day out. You only
had to see the excitement on the kids faces as they boarded the coach to come home,
to know it was all worthwhile.
