Army of volunteers help with garden renovation
Veterans are breathing in the spring air after a mass restoration of the courtyard at Erskine Veterans Village.
The courtyard, attached to the village’s Harry’s Restaurant and Cafe, has undergone an impressive renovation thanks to the efforts of an army of volunteers.
The green space has been spruced with new plants and shrubs, with flowers installed in the rockery areas and in individual pots and hanging baskets.
The tired and weathered outdoor furniture (pictured) was also made over with volunteers spending several days sanding down dozens of tables, chairs and benches before staining and varnishing every single item.
The project was spearheaded by fellow veteran organisation, the Royal Engineer Association Branch but was supported by locals, businesses and a raft of other volunteers.
Jim Devine, chairman of the engineers, said: “Gordon Powrie, our welfare officer, volunteers at Erskine and had spoken to the team at Harry’s about the courtyard who had explained it was looking a bit tired.
“A few of us went out to have a look at the garden and it soon became a full-scale renovation. The sea cadets, they became involved and companies donated plants, top soil, compost and offered to take away the rubbish.
“Then last Saturday 24 people turned out for the day to get it all done.”
Their efforts were bolstered by a Just Giving page which saw locals donate almost £1,700 towards the cost of the project, which also included gardening tools and a shed, which volunteers can use to carry out ongoing maintenance of the garden.
Bernie Deary, catering supervisor at Harry’s, is absolutely delighted with the results. She said: “The feedback we have had from veterans in the past few days has been great, everyone is flabbergasted at the transformation and the fact that the engineers have offered to maintain it too is brilliant.
“With the tools and the garden shed, it means veterans themselves can come up and do some gardening too, or we could have a gardening club, so that’s another benefit ”
Lesley McDonald, lieutenant of Paisley Sea Cadets, said the teenagers relished the opportunity to give something back to the community.
She said: “Five of the cadets and four staff officers volunteered and the young people got involved in everything that needed doing – lifting, weeding, planting.
“They thoroughly enjoyed it and were asking when they could go back again.”
She added: “Community service is very much part of their training so this really fitted in with that side of their training.”
Organisations and businesses which supported the garden project include: City Gate Construction, ENVA, Forestry Restoration, Kenneth Keegan Funeral Directors, GP Plantscapes, Garner Memorials, Red Wing Shoes Aberdeen, Caulders Garden Centre Erskine, Brandon Hire Station, Peacock Turf Scape, McLarens Nursery, Dulux Decorator Centre Paisley, ACRE Industrial, B&Q Paisley, J Sloan & Son Joiners, Senga ‘s Cafe, Harry’s and Ferguslie Community Development Trust.