Intu Braehead volunteers help out at Elderslie school

DELIGHTED youngsters at Wallace Primary, in Elderslie came back to school to find they had a spruced-up courtyard that can now be used as an outdoor classroom and a space where they can spend time in with friends.

It’s all thanks to a donation of more than £2000 from intu Braehead shopping and leisure destination and the hard work of some of its staff, who volunteered to spend two days refurbishing what was a run-down and little-used part of the school.

The volunteer work was part of intu’s company-wide initiative encouraging staff to take the time from their work schedule to help support a local charity or community group.

Along with workers from landscape gardening experts, Cardwell Nurseries, based in Gourock, the intu Braehead team weeded pathways, power washed concrete slabs, carried out a general tidy-up, put in plants and flowers and painted the four walls surrounding the courtyard.

The school’s head teacher, Susan Dalrymple said: “This has been a fantastic transformation and everyone from intu Braehead has done an amazing job.

“The children are delighted with their new courtyard and it was a big surprise for them when they came back to school after the summer holidays.

“The area was very run-down and not used very much, but now we can get a real benefit from the space.”

Lydia Brown, intu Braehead’s community development manager said: “We hope the pupils enjoy their new space which is now all spick and span.

“After intu Braehead agreed to pay for the materials, our staff worked really hard to transform the courtyard.”