Pupils are digging deep to help brighten the lives of residents at a Greenock care home

Aiden Stewart, 14, Jack McPherson, 15 and Blair O’Donnell, 16, gave up part of their Easter holidays to spend an afternoon at Larkfield View helping get its garden ready for summer.

The school got in touch with manager Elsie Maclennan last year and since September pupils from the school have taken part in a number of projects there, including painting the garden furniture, giving a presentation on World War One and playing bowls and board games with residents.

The care home and the school have built a good relationship with pupils helping out where they can and the residents invited to the school show at Christmas.

This time the boys were on hand to paint tyres a variety of colours.

Once dry the tyres will be used as plant pots to help brighten up the garden.

Elsie said: “All the pupils we have had help have been fantastic.

"We want to try and get the garden ready for the residents to enjoy in the summer and the pupils have been great at helping out.

“The residents love having the pupils here and with some of them having helped before they are getting to know each other.

“Some of our residents have even become more active and two of them, Jack and Sam, were out helping the boys paint.

“The tyres look amazing and the pupils and teacher Paul Ross have done so well.

"We are really pleased and can’t wait to see what they look like once complete.”

Blair had been to Larkfield View before as part of the group who did the presentation on WW1.

He said: “I have got to know some of the residents. Having the opportunity to help brighten the garden was great.

"It it feels good to know I am helping.”

Jack added: “I did a project here before where we painted the garden furniture, which I enjoyed.

“I liked helping and it is also good because I am working towards qualifications.

“I've enjoyed this project and having the residents help was good.

"I would volunteer more to see it finished.”

Aiden, who was visiting Larkfield View for the first time, said: “I wasn’t going to come but I am really glad I did.

"I've really enjoyed helping in the garden.

“I think it will look great when it is done and I’d come back if they needed help with other things.”