\Gilmourton

Easter Egg Hunt David Wilson Homes held a special Easter Egg hunt at its Lauder Gardens development in Strathaven at the weekend. Easter treats were hidden inside the newbuild homes and in the garden. Once all the eggs had been found, kids were able to board the ‘fun bus’ – a double-decker fitted out with soft play kit. Estelle Sykes, sales director for Barratt Homes West Scotland, said: “The Easter Egg hunt is a great tradition and judging by the looks on their faces, our young visitors really enjoyed it. The ‘fun bus’ went down a storm as well, and it allowed the grown-ups a chance to discover what Lauder Gardens has to offer without having to worry about keeping an eye on their little ones!” Gardening Week Green-fingered pupils at Kirklandpark Primary School were given a helping hand from CALA Homes last week. The housebuilder has provided the school with a donation of gardening equipment and accessories in support of National Gardening Week. As well as gardening tools including spades, trowels, rakes, watering cans and gloves, the school also received an insect sculpture hotel and wildlife attracting seeds to encourage wildlife into the school gardens. Elaine Kirkwood, headteacher at Kirklandpark Primary School, said: “We are thrilled with this kind donation from CALA Homes which is a great way to get the children more involved in gardening. Children can learn new skills, have fun and develop self-confidence by spending time in the garden which is something we actively encourage. This new equipment will help get the children engaged with the school gardens as well as create a more attractive environment for everyone to enjoy.” LEAP The Hands On Project is looking for more volunteers in Strathaven. It forms part of the South Lanarkshire-based charity Lightburn Elderly Association Project (LEAP), which offers a free handyperson service to people over the age of 50. They provide free, practical assistance for small household jobs and tasks around the home. Volunteers carry out a number of small practical tasks such as changing lightbulbs, fitting shelves, changing curtains and fitting curtain poles or building small flat-pack furniture and lots more. The Hands On Project is reliant on volunteers, who give up just one or two hours a week to visit clients in their home. All volunteers undergo a disclosure check as well as receive training and daily support from LEAP staff. For more information about the Hands On Project, volunteering opportunities or if you know someone who can benefit from our services, call (0141) 641 5169. Alternatively, visit www.leap-project. co.uk or find the organisation on Facebook at LEAP Ltd. Gilmourton Rural On Wednesday, April 5 the members of Gilmourton Rural came together for their monthly meeting. Due to a cancellation, the speaker had to be replaced at short notice and Joanne Motion of RW Scott of Carluke very kindly agreed to step into the breach. Joanne spoke of the history of the company which dates back to 1880 before going on to talk of its more recent expansions and product developments. Members were then invited to take part in some consumer research when six of the company’s most-recently developed products were offered for a taste-and-try session followed by feedback from the group. This may not have been the scheduled talk for the evening but it proved to be a great success and Joanne certainly provided something very innovative which all present very much enjoyed. Competition winners for the evening were: Homemade hat – 1st, Sheena Kerr; 2nd, Edith Steel; 3rd, Marion Hamilton. Flower of the Month – 1st, Mary Harkness; 2nd, Sarah Mateer; 3rd, Marion Law. Mary Harkness won the competition for the jar of threefruit marmalade. The next meeting of Gilmourton Rural will be the organisation’s AGM on Wednesday, May 3.