Volunteers fly out to help troubled youngsters

A mercy mission from Ferguslie Park is helping provide shelter to troubled young people in Romania.

Community activist Terry McTernan was joined by Buddie Chris Tulloch as they helped build a laundry room in a home for abandoned young people.

Project Hope, based at St Ninian’s Church, has over the years sent teams of volunteers to Romania to help where they could.

In recent times, the trips had fallen away, but with the sad passing of St Ninian’s inspirational youth leader Ian Dock last year, Terry was determined to revive the charity in his honour.

Terry said: “The passing of Ian Dock really shook the community in Ferguslie and St Ninian’s. He was someone who was fundamental in forming Project Hope and driving it forward.

“He was an inspirational man who done everything he could for the young people in the community.

“He only visited Romania twice but he was instrumental in encouraging us to get involved. When he passed away, we thought: ‘What is a good way to remember him?’.

“That’s when we got talking and decided on a return to Romania. We had been many times in the past, through the scandal of the orphanages.

“We saw children grow through the care system and we tried to support them as well as we could.”

Terry and fellow Ferguslie resident Chris, 26, have just returned from helping install the laundry in a halfway house in Dorohoi, in the North east of the country.

He said: “We were in discussions with local groups and we identified a need for laundry to be installed at a half way house for young people.

“These are 18- year- old young people who are basically abandoned by the system. They are too old for care but too young to be out on their own.

“The house has 10 bedrooms, bathrooms and communal living areas but they needed a laundry so we went to sort that out.”

Terry and Chris set about fundraising, with community events helping them collect the £2,000 required for the trip.

He said: “We actually had money left over, which was put towards bannisters for the home, which is great.”

And now Terry, 37, hopes that some of the hope they helped provide can be transferred back to the community he loves so much.

He added: “Ferguslie has its problems but we are working hard as a community to re-invigorate the scheme.

“The irony is we gave hope to some young people in Romania, which in turn has given us hope for the future here at home.

“Project Hope had fallen away in recent years but I think this will kick start it and get it going again. I hope so anyway.”