Ailsa returned to learning when her kids' own playgroup needed qualified crèche workers, and she went on to manage the village children's centre.

Ailsa knew how important the playgroup was for young mothers - she used it herself. "We're a bit remote here, and we're used to being self-sufficient and providing what we need ourselves.

"So when we needed qualified crèche workers for the playgroup, a group of us said, 'Right, that's us'. We did basic first step courses, 'Children and Play ' in the community centre. We felt we could do that, with our experience as parents and as volunteers in the playgroup.

"And doing that learning really started something. Some of us started as crèche workers and some of us went on to do in-house training with the council and do youth work.

"The council got some European money to provide local training opportunities and that meant we could do a one year part-time course and get jobs as school auxiliaries. Learning really caught on."

Then Ailsa was offered the chance to study for an HNC in Childcare and Education. "The community learning and development workers were great. They explained about progressing through different routes to learning, and how doing voluntary work and basic learning could be credited towards bigger courses like an HNC.

"I hadn't planned to make learning a life's work, but I could do the studying part-time and that gave me plenty of time for the house and the kids. We also did a one week summer school - the council was great and provided childcare so we didn't have to worry what the kids were up to - and I got my food hygiene and first aid certificates.

After two years' part-time study, Ailsa became one of the first students in her area to complete a Higher National qualification off the main college campus. "The first time I stepped inside the FE College was for the awards ceremony. That was really something!"

And self-sufficient as always, when a new manager was needed for the village children's centre that autumn, Ailsa already had the qualifications that were needed and she was appointed to the post.