Bellsbank brothers fly to the rescue

Mar 18 2011 by Stuart Wilson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

BIG-HEARTED brothers have come to the rescue after vandals went on the rampage.

Grant and Glen Wilson picked up the pieces when their school’s eco project was destroyed by louts.

The little lads spent two months saving their pocket money and have now replaced a broken bird table in the playground.

The boys acted after selfish thugs ran wild at Bellsbank Primary near Dalmellington.

Bird tables, plants and a greenhouse were all smashed to bits during an attack during the Christmas holidays.

But the brothers pledged to do their bit and raised £25 by themselves to buy a replacement bird sanctuary.

Grant, eight, revealed: “We decided to do something after people came and ruined our school garden.

“I’ve never built anything before in my life, but the bird table was good fun.

“We built it with my dad and really enjoyed doing it.”

The boys, who’ve scraped together their cash since January, have won widespread praise for their efforts.

Mum Mandy said: “It was all their idea. Grant, especially, is really interested in this kind of thing and was desperate to help.

“They would save the change from their tuck shop money and any pocket money we gave them.

“Then they went to B&Q and bought a brand new table – I’m so proud of them for wanting to do something like this.”

Bellsbank headteacher, Alexander Kennedy, admits the gesture was truly humbling.

He said: “In all of my 22 years at this school, this is genuinely one of the nicest things I’ve ever seen anyone do.

“These boys took us all by surprise when they came in with a brand new bird table and revealed they’d saved up their own money to do it.

“What happened to the school garden was terrible and left us all very frustrated.

“But it restores your faith when two young lads come up with a great gesture like this. It really has given us all a boost.”