Teaming up with the Rotary Club to work collaboratively on the project the team set their sights on collecting 50 to 100 bags. But in true West College Scotland fashion the team smashed their target, thanks to project leader’s Lorna McNulty and Brook Scott’s persistence, determination and commitment to the cause.

Assistant Principal, Peter Pringle tells us more about how the project came to light,

“With the college carrying out a range of charitable projects throughout the year we thought that by using a joined up approach we could do something bigger and working with the Rotary Club we knew we could maximise our potential. So we decided on three projects the first being ‘Playlist for Life’, the second being the Backpack Project and the third being the Kiltwalk for Who Cares Scotland.

‘Thanks to the work of Lorna and her team and Kenny Melville and the Rotarians in Greenock we managed to achieve the astonishing amount of 212 fully packed backpacks, ready for distribution in Africa.

It never seizes to amaze me how this team manage to pull projects like this together.”

Hearing from the Lorna McNulty, she commented, “I knew from the outset that it was going to be a challenging project, especially as it came about just after Christmas. The donations came in slowly at first so we knew we had to think outside the box, which is when we decided to reach out to local schools and business for their support and we held some fundraising events to raise funds to buy some of the more expensive items.

‘It turned out to be a fantastic community wide project with many local businesses including Tesco, Morrison’s, Wilko’s and one of our college suppliers Corston Sinclair as well as Lady Alice Primary School contributing to the cause.

Without their generosity we wouldn’t have been able to reach our target never mind go beyond it.

‘It’s been an incredible joint venture and one that I’m really proud to have been a part of. Thank you to everyone involved.”

Gathering at the College’s Ambition restaurant on Monday 12 March, invited guests heard from Mary’s Meals representative, Bernadette Barr on the difference these backpacks make to the life’s of children in Africa.

Bernadette said, “Today Mary’s Meals feeds over 1.4 million of the world’s poorest children every day they attend school. Many of these children don’t have basic learning tools such as pencil and notepads which is how the backpack appeal came about.

‘Through people like yourself donating such items we are able to give these children backpacks full of things they need. For many of the children it will be the first gift they have received – the joy on their faces is priceless and 212 children will feel this joy thanks to you.”

In a vote of thanks to all those involved in the project, Peter welcomed Chair of the Board of Management, Kieth McKellar to say a few words,

“I first heard about this project just before Christmas and thought it was a fantastic project, not just because of the obvious educational links but because it struck me that there was something fundamentally good about it. It was about staff, students and school pupils coming together to do something for those so much less fortunate than ourselves.

‘Bringing the community together to do this struck me as the best of humanity which I’m extremely proud about, so I was delighted to be asked to give the vote of thanks.”

The college would like to thank all those involved, with a special mention to the Rotary Club, Corston Sinclair, Tesco, Morrison’s, Wilko and Lady Alice Primary School.