Get tested to stop the spread
Renfrewshire is currently staying in level two coronavirus restrictions due to increasing rates of Covid-19 in local communities.
It’s important we do everything we can to minimise the spread of this virus and I’d encourage everyone to follow the national FACTS guidance – wear a face covering if you can, avoid crowds and keep your distance from other people you are not meeting up with.
I’d also encourage everyone who lives, works or goes to school in Kirklandneuk and Renfrew to get tested.
You can book a test at www. gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test if you have symptoms of Covid-19 or have no symptoms.
The new bridge over the Black Cart river has been installed and I hope it helps more people to enjoy Renfrewshire’s great outdoors and excellent walking and cycling routes when it opens later this year.
The bridge was funded by UK and Scottish governments as part of the Glasgow Airport Investment Area project in the £1.13billion Glasgow
City Region City Deal and charity Sustrans Scotland through its Places for Everyone programme.
In Erskine, we’ve planted 1,000 trees in Barwood Park as part of the new Clyde Climate Forest initiative by the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Green Network.
These trees are one of the first of around 18 million trees that will be planted over the next decade across the eight local authorities and will be a huge boost in our drive to tackle climate change.
A little down the road, the new Bargarran play park is being hailed as the ‘most innovative play area in Scotland’.
The interactive play equipment, such as DJ booths, gaming screens and a zip wire, were requested from young people in the consultation run by Erskine Youth Council and it’s great to see their ideas come to life.
The Summer Clean, which is part of Keep Scotland Beautiful’s ‘Million Mile Mission’ to litter pick a million miles across the UK this year, is well underway in Renfrewshire.
Our volunteers have already clocked up more than 20,000 miles in the first week and
I’d like to thank them for doing their part to keep our communities free of litter.
Team Up to Clean Up has been a great success since it was brought in by my SNP administration.
If you can take part, I’d encourage you to join our Facebook group (www. facebook.com/groups/ teamuptocleanup) to ask for the tools you need.
It’s also good to see children enjoy three new purpose-built nurseries that are now open in Houston, Kirklandneuk and Lochfield.
It is part of delivering 1,140 hours of early learning and childcare to all eligible children by this August .
Work has started to build a 101 new council homes in Ferguslie Park.
Contractors AS Homes are building the homes on the former St Fergus Primary School site and tenants can expected to move into the new homes by the end of 2022.
Finally, our work to tackle the impact of alcohol and drugs on people’s lives featured in the latest Holyrood magazine.
People who use alcohol and drugs face significant mental health needs and we continue to work with NHS colleagues and third sector organisations to build the support structures they need.