Nursery welcomes Paisley lion into the family

The search to find a new home for one of the famous Pride of Paisley lions is over.

Oor Woolly was created by the Laugh ‘n’ Craft group that meets at the YMCA in the town every Tuesday.

It is one of a number that were made as part of an art trail organised by business regeneration group Paisley First as part of the push towards the bid for UK City of Culture 2021.

Inspired by Paisley Museum’s famous Buddy, each lion featured a different aspect of the town’s culture and heritage, with various groups dressing the lions in their own unique style.

Oor Woolly, who has a bit of a knitted punk look, was on display in the window of the YMCA , in Paisley High Street , for a few months.

But, for the past while, he has been stuck in a cupboard there.

And that’s why Laugh ‘n’ Craft wanted to find him a new home.

Now, after an appeal in the Paisley Daily Express, he is to set up home at Nursery Times, in Paisley’s Neilston Road, where children will be able to enjoy him.

Laugh ‘n’ Craft leader Linda McQueen said: “The YMCA couldn’t put Oor Woolly in the window any more, and we didn’t have a home for him.

“He’s too big to go into anyone’s personal home, so I’m really pleased that the Paisley Daily Express highlighted it for us.

“We think we’ve found a very deserving home where children will love him.”

And Oor Woolly will be going to Nursery Times having had an extensive makeover.

“We’ve really tightened up this time because when he was in Marks and Spencer, and other businesses in Paisley, children wanted to sit on him, put his crown on their heads – understandably,” said Linda. “He was well loved. “So we’ve made a new base for his mane and we’ve sewn everything a lot tighter.

“So, hopefully, the kids will get a lot of pleasure out of him.”

Paisley mum Claire McGinley nominated Nursery Times as a great place for Oor Woolly to set up home because it’s where her two-year-old daughter goes.

She said: “My daughter Everly has been going there for around a year-and-a-half. “It’s an absolutely fantastic place. “The staff are so lovely and kind and they are excellent at what they do.

“I love that they are encouraging our children to become involved in the community from such a young age, from collecting for the local foodbank, to raising money for Alzheimer’s Scotland.

“I can’t wait to see what they do with Oor Woolly!”

Hopefully, the kids will get a lot of pleasure out of him