BACKGROUND TO THE SIX CIRCLE GROUP
In 1969 the Governor of Noranside Borstal Institution, Charles Hills,undertook a project in Wester Ross for the Natio
nal Trust for Scotland. They were offered excellent camp accommodation at the RN Boom Defence Depot at Aultbea. Murtle House, a Camphill residential school near Aberdeen, was invited to share the camp with them. That summer, a group of Borstal trainees and staff spent 14 days at Aultbea, together with a group of children, who were in need of special care, and staff from their school.
It soon became obvious that there was not a division of givers and receivers in this setting......there was mutual benefit. The children needed supervision, care and attention and the Borstal trainees needed to accept responsibility for others who were more vulnerable than themselves. Barriers were quickly broken down and each individual was recognised as having something to offer the group.
Charles Hills
A young child's refreshing lack of inhibition, a young person's hidden sense of humour and an adult offender's physical strength to push or carry his wheelchair-bound friend. The Borstal boys gained such a lot of self-respect and a feeling of need from the children and from this project the Six Circle Group was born.
At the end of the camp they were given 6 rings from the Boom Defence Net as a souvenir. The interlinking of rings then formed the logo of the organisation, representing the motto:
'In meeting the needs of others, we meet the needs in ourselves'
Unfortunately Charles died earlier this year but the ethos that was developed as a result of this camp, and which is epitomised in the above motto, lives on in the current Six Circle Projects and Groups - The Six Circle Project in Perth and groups in Dundee and Campbelltown.
His dedication and commitment to the Six Circle ethos was an inspiration to all of us who have been involved with the Six Circle Group and we will do our best to uphold these principles and continue with the good work that he started. He will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by all of us.
Charles recorded the origins and history of the Six Circle Group in his book 'Six Circle Group - The Origins and History', a copy of which can be obtained by contacting the Perth Six Circle Project at: Aultbea House, 3 Edinburgh Road, Perth. PH2 8AT
Tel: 01738 445384 or e-mail: info@sixcircleperth.co.uk