Colourful creations at school is the bomb
Craft group brighten up primary’s grounds
A splash of colour has been added to Paisley’s Bushes Primary School – thanks to a spot of yarn bombing.
Parents and members of the community who are members of a crafting group called BushesCraft are behind the fun stunt.
Sarah Roberts, whose fiveyear-old daughter Eirlys has just started P1 at the Glenburn school, is among those involved in the project, which is a partnership with the Parent Council.
She explained: “Yarn bombing is a very good way to get the local community involved in theses craft projects.
“It is also good for beginners because a lamppost doesn’t mind if you drop a stitch. “It is a nice way to learn.” BushesCraft applied for funding through the Paisley 2021 City of Culture bid and got £3000 from Renfrewshire’s Culture, Heritage and Events Fund, which was created to encourage creativity.
Parents, grannies, aunties and former pupils now at secondary have been picking up skills through BushesCraft.
Between 20 and 30 adults – and some children – go along to meetings and Sarah said everyone is enjoying the experience.
Yarn bombing, also known as guerrilla knitting and urban knitting, is a type of graffiti or street art that involves people or chrocheting yarn.
So, instead of chalk or spraypaint, playgrounds, street furniture, cycle racks and statues are covered in colourful woolly creations.
At Bushes Primary, railings, the sheltered seating area, bike stands and even a tree have been blasted with Bushes Craft colours.
The aim was to give the children a nice surprise when they started back lessons after the summer break - and they certainly got that when they arrived in the playground last week.
In July it was announced that Paisley had become a step closer to being crowned UK City of Culture after making the final five.
Victory could unlock a £172 million economic windfall and create almost 5,000 jobs over the next decade.
The town is now the only Scottish entrant remaining after making the five-strong winner’s shortlist. Others on the list are Coventry, Stoke- on-Trent, Sunderland and Swansea.
For more information on Paisley’s drive to become UK City of Culture 2021, visit www. paisley2021.co.uk