A GROUP of talented West Kilbride musicians have the whole village singing thanks to an exciting lockdown project.

Six locals have teamed up with the West Kilbride Community Support group to get youngsters involved in musical challenges during the pandemic.

WKCS Sings was formed by Ross McNeil, Rhona Clark, Zara Wardrop, Rachel Hynes, Fiona Coulter and Dawn Williamson, all of whom are either accredited musicians or passionate performers.

Ross, pictured, says the project was aimed at helping children cope with the lockdown and to bring some fun to the village.

He said: “With at-home learning for children during lockdown, ‘WKCS Sings’ was a chance to not only provide some form of music tuition, but to bring classmates and friends together again virtually to create fun and interactive experiences.

“With the impact of Covid-19, I was searching for something that, for a few minutes, would brighten up people’s day and allow them to forget about the hardships going on in the world.

“At the same time, Fi Thornburn had founded WKCS, a group that got fantastic response from all those within West Kilbride and brought the village together.

“I wanted to do my bit and help in any way I could.”

Initially, the group aimed to get kids learning various popular songs and posting them online, including The Grand Old Duke of York and the infamous Baked Potato Song.

Ross says the feedback from locals was better than the group had hoped for and they are looking to get more and more youngsters involved.

He said: “Upon posting the videos, we received a fantastic reaction.

“Currently we are at the early stages of longer-term plans, one of which is that we are planning to perform at a historic site within the village.

“We aim to release further details on this as Covid-19 restrictions ease and with that we hope to get more kids within the village involved.

“We are aiming to provide fun and education to the children of West Kilbride, whilst showcasing the talent we have in the village to the wider community.”

Fellow group member Fiona added: “We realised there was a need for something creative for young people to get involved in as kids were missing out on clubs that they would normally participate in.

“The response has been good so far, but we would love for more people to join us especially primary age kids.

“I believe that singing and performing in general is so good for not only mental health but also confidence.

“I think that's something that a lot of young people will have lost due to being away from other people not in their household.”

Youngsters under 18 can register their interest by emailing imaginationgroup@wkcsgroup.co.uk with their name and age, and one of the Sings team will be in touch.