Esplanade art aims to give a hand to charity fundraising

FOLLOWING the success of fundraising for the playpark at Atlantis Leisure, Friends of Oban Community Playpark have turned their attention to generating money for a similar facility for pre-school children.

The group has a target of £100,000 for the park, with more than £40,000 already raised. Their latest fundraising initiative has seen more than 800 wooden handprints, created by local children, being hung along the railings on Oban’s esplanade since the start of May.

The Helping Hands community art installation, funded by BID4Oban, Voluntary Arts Week micro fund and Argyll and Bute Council’s third sector grants, will be on display throughout the summer months, with people viewing the artworks being asked to text OBAN16 £ 5 to 70070 to donate £ 5 to the cause, or place cash donations in green tubs stationed in many of the town’s businesses.

Children from Lochnell, Dalmally, Rockfield, St Columba’s, Park, Easdale and Luing primary schools, along with youngsters from Little Learners and Atlantis Easter Camp, have all taken part, with 200 more handprints from Appin and Dunbeg schools still to be hung.

Jewson in Oban donated 1,600 cable ties to fasten the prints to the railings after string proved too noisy as the wooden boards clattered together in the wind.

So far the Helping Hands project has raised more than £250 in donations.

An inter-generational sponsored walk is planned from Corran Halls to Dunollie House and back today (Thursday) to help raise funds for the project.

The walk leaves from the Corran Halls at 10am and will make its way along the footpath to Dunollie Castle before heading back to the halls.

The sponsorship money gathered from this event will go towards the £60,000 still needed to cover the £100,000 expected cost of the under-fives playpark.

The organiser say they are anticipating about 270 pre-school children from a number of nurseries, Park primary one pupils, and children and parents not attached to any nursery. They will be walking alongside members of Oban Seniors’ Forum and Oban Health Walks.

Altogether, there could be about 400 people taking part in the short circular walk, with different generations coming together to raise money for a much-needed and wanted under-fives playpark.

There will be an Oban High School student signalling the start with bagpipes, the Lions Club is supporting the event and will be marshalling at key points, while Dunollie Castle Museum is donating soft drinks and water.