NEWTON Primary has scooped a second prestigious award for community work.

The South Ayrshire school is celebrating after coming up trumps at this year’s Safer Communities Awards, winning the strengthening community engagement and resilience category. The recognition came for its Freestyle Environmental Visual Audit (FEVA) project. 

The project, based in Wallacetoun, Ayr, involved pupils from Newton’s P4/5 class going out into their community and identifying environmental issues to help them understand the consequences of negative behaviour.

FEVA involved both children and the community with young people encouraged to feedback on what they found to families and friends. 

Issues such as dog fouling, littering, fly-tipping and discarded alcohol bottles all featured, as well as positive aspects such as open/green spaces, play parks and attractive flower beds. 

The aim of the initiative was to encourage children to take responsibility and to make a positive difference in their own community.
Earlier this year the same project won a Keep Scotland Beautiful ‘Local Environmental Quality’ Community Participation Award.

Councillor Margaret Toner, portfolio holder for lifelong learning, gave the award a warm welcome: “Landing two national awards is a fantastic achievement for everyone at Newton Primary.

“The project has clearly struck a chord with the judges, who noted the work between the school and the wider community to raise awareness of the negative impacts of irresponsible behaviour on the environment. 

“I’d like to congratulate the school for putting their hearts and souls into this worthwhile project and hope that all their hard work helps to leave a positive legacy in the local community.”

Headteacher Fiona McAvoy said: “I am so happy that all the hard work has been recognised. 

“We engage with the local community fully and this project highlights just what we can achieve when everyone pulls together.”