Branching out at Parklea

Coming out of the pandemic so much of our daily life has changed.

One of the big changes anyone working in construction has come to accept is that prices are higher almost right across the board.

That’s why the council has stepped in to support a really worthwhile project at Parklea Branching Out in Port Glasgow which received over £1m of support from the Scottish Government’s regeneration capital fund.

The council supported the charity that delivers skills and training opportunities for people with additional support needs.

Their exciting expansion plans were under threat because of rising prices so the council has agreed to fund additional money to be match funded by the Scottish Government.

I was delighted to join the team at Parklea and to see the fantastic work they do recently and hope to see progress on the expansion plans to allow them to keep up that great work to support Inverclyde.

Birkmyre Trees

I joined the Lord-Lieutenant and fellow councillors at Birkmyre Park.

New trees planted there have become part of HM The Queen’s Green Canopy project.

The project was part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations and aimed to provide more tree planting across the country.

The 25 trees planted at Birkmyre Park are part of £65,000 worth of improvements being led by the community and delivered on their behalf by the council.

Now the work is part of a lasting tribute to the former Queen as communities up and down the country planted trees as part of the Green Canopy project.

Big Help Out

It is incredible that just a year ago the country was celebrating the Platinum Jubilee and that shortly it will be the Coronation of a new King.

On Monday 8 May, two days after the Coronation, there is a public holiday. Council offices and schools will be closed as part of the weekend.

That day has been promoted as ‘The Big Help Out’.

The aim is to encourage people to volunteer their time to support local projects.

Visit the Big Help Out website or locally you can contact CVS Inverclyde to find out how you can support local groups, voluntary organisations and social enterprises.

Giving of your time is a great gift to give. We saw during the pandemic the incredible response by our third sector organisations and public services.

The Big Help Out is a really worthwhile opportunity and I would encourage you to join in.

Gaelic education

It is welcome news that the Council’s education committee has developed a plan to deliver secondary Gaelic education within Inverclyde.

Children travelling to another area is never going to be ideal so it is important that where we can we deliver services within our boundaries.

The plan would see new secondary Gaelic education delivered alongside the Council’s current primary and nursery services.

It will now go to a formal education consultation.