Muddy marvels

Youngsters will be able to get their hands dirty cooking up some tasty concoctions thanks to a donation of new mud kitchens.

Renfrewshire Council’s senior warden Gail Scoular fundraised in her own time to buy mud kitchens for the 34 Renfrewshire Council-run nurseries then they were put together by the council’s unpaid work team.

Made from recycled pallets, the kitchens aim to give kids an immersive, multisensory experience by letting them get dirty making mud pies and soil smoothies while playing with their friends.

Gail said: “This has been an amazing project over the last six months and who would have thought you could make something so fantastic from fly tipped pallets.

“The unpaid work team have done a terrific job making the mud kitchens, as well as tabards and mats made by re-using plastic bags.

“The children are going to have a fabulous time using their imaginations to make muddy smoothies, soup, mud cakes and more.”

The kitchens will encourage young children to see the benefits of working together and to find enjoyment in the great outdoors, ensuring they appreciate their local environment which is a key tie with Renfrewshire’s Team Up to Clean Up campaign.

Environment convener, Councillor Cathy McEwan, said: “I can’t wait to see all our young people using their new kitchens and I must thank Gail, the unpaid work team and everyone who has put time and effort into making this happen.

“A big part of our Team Up to Clean Up campaign is encouraging people to work together while enjoying being outdoors and appreciating our local environment.

“The kitchens will hopefully inspire our young people to get out in their gardens and green spaces and take care of where they live, while finding the fun in doing so.

“It’s going to be fantastic for the little ones and hopefully we can roll this out further in the future.”

Donations were made by UNITE, GMB Union and enva which facilitated the purchase of tools for use in the mud kitchens.