Everyone’s enjoying giant snakes and ladders board
A sssssuper-sized snakes and ladders game has been unveiled in Paisley after it was created with help from people who have been through the courts system.
Renfrewshire Council’s unpaid work team has produced the colourful, playful artwork in Paisley’s Underwood Lane, next to the basketball court.
The project has been an innovative way for people undertaking Community Payback Orders to give something back to the community.
CPOs are a court order that can involve people doing unpaid work, including cleaning up graffiti and litter, gardening in parks, redecorating care homes and helping a charity.
Delighted staff, volunteers and members of the ROAR: Connections For Life project at the West End Community Centre in Underwood Lane have already enjoyed a wee spin on the giant games board.
ROAR donated the money for the paint that was used to brighten up what was previously a dull piece of unused land.
Nicola Hanssen, general manager of ROAR, said: “We enjoy a good relationship with the CPO teams. They help us maintain our gardens.
“We supplied the paint for the snakes and ladders board and paid for it with a donation we received.
“It is nice and bright and you do see people taking their children to play on it.”
ROAR is a fantastic communitybased service that really makes a difference to the elderly in various Renfrewshire communities.
It improves their health, tackles isolation, hosts lunch clubs, sets up befriending and organises various classes and trips.
Nicola added: “We have taken members up to the game a couple of times now and they love it.
“One lady said they were ‘going out to play’ – and they all thought that was funny.”
Councillor Marie McGurk, convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board, said it is great to see the results of the unpaid work team’s effort.
She added: “Unpaid work has benefits for everyone in the community.
“The work helps people with a history of offending to give something back to the community and the community benefits from something that improves the area.
“Today, and in the future, kids will have lots of fun playing snakes and ladders, but longer term those who have been involved in its creation will see the positive outcomes of their efforts and help them to reintegrate as law abiding citizens.”