A Sunseeker school run

NEVER a day goes by in Herm when our children aren't reminded how lucky they are to be having such a unique childhood.

There is always something happening that makes you stop and think how different their lives would be on the mainland.

A couple of weeks ago was a perfect example, when after their weekly trip to school at Vauvert in Guernsey, they were treated to a lift home in a Sunseeker.

It was a gorgeously hot day and while their jackets and rucksacks waited for the Trident at Cambridge Steps, the school children were able to pop on lifejackets and be brought back in style on board Predator 75 the Atlantic Eagle.

Full speed ahead towards Herm - with a little detour round Jethou - and the children, ever fearless, were clearly enjoying every minute of it.

'We love to take the Herm children out,' said Sarah Matlock of Sunseeker Channel Islands Ltd.

'They obviously enjoy it and they appreciate it so much.'

It seemed a million miles away from our old UK school run, with its dirty buses, busy roads and traffic jams.

A few days later and four of the Herm children - nine-year-old Elliot Knight, Eden Latter, eight, five-year-old Brandon Hastings and Emy Hastings, three - found themselves invited to appear in the new Herm TV ad.

While the camera can be nerve-racking for many adults, for some reason the children take it all in their stride and spent an entertaining hour filming on Shell Beach. Once the cameras finishing rolling, they went back to their play like it was an everyday thing.

In the past couple of years, the school has entertained royalty, appeared in local newspapers and national magazines, been on the news many times, has received several talented and distinguished guests and pupils have appeared as extras in a movie.

Even the playgroup children had the honour of a visit from the Lt-Governor last week.

While there can be drawbacks to such a small school, on the whole our children are lucky enough to be building a wealth of unique memories and experiences that to them are a natural way of life.

Hopefully they realise how lucky they are, as their parents do every time they send them out to play.