Budding youngsters from West Kilbride have provided a helping hand at a village beauty spot.
Some little helpers from the village primary school’s early years class were 'recruited' to plant seeds and assisted the council's Streetscene team to help brighten up the Glen extension.
Streetscene is responsible for the maintenance of open spaces, ground maintenance, and tree planting across North Ayrshire.
Staff previously prepared an area and sowed wildflower mix, and the tots recently helped by scattering seeds at a small strip at the top of a bank on the eastern side of the site.
Headteacher Gemma Carson said: “It was great for some of our children to get involved in the seed-planting project.
“The children love getting outdoors in their wellies and waterproofs, and it was a lovely, bright winter’s day when they went along to help. We hope, during the better weather, to visit the Glen and use it as part of our curriculum.”
The Streetscene team has also been making improvements in Beith, where a joint project with the council’s employability team has seen sections of a vast network of paths being cleared and made safe for winter.
Well-used lanes around De Morville Place, Lancaster Avenue and Glebelands Way have been spruced up.
Thick moss has been cleared away by members of the Streetscene Environmental Skills and Training Academy, which offers people who are out of work a chance to get some grounds maintenance experience through paid six-month placements.
The Academy’s group of nine workers who have been clearing the paths were previously unemployed parents until they got involved through the council’s employability service’s Your Next Move, Working North Ayrshire programme.
Through contracted partner organisations - including CEIS Ayrshire and We Work For Families – participants also get employability support and training to help with the transition into work.
Councillor Tony Gurney, NAC's cabinet member for green environment and economy, said: “It is great to see young children in West Kilbride enjoying the outdoors and learning about their local environment.
“And the path-clearing programme in Beith is a small change that will make a big difference to pedestrians and other people using the lanes as we head into winter. The feedback from the community has been positive.”
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