IT IS ABOUT to get messy at Home-Start Clackmannanshire, thanks to a fresh donation.

Family drop-in sessions, run by the charity at Alloa Business Centre, will be extended with two additional two-hour opportunities.

It is being made possible by a £2,000 award from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust's Investment Programme.

Shelley Bowman, manager of Home-Start locally, said: “We really appreciate the Coalfields Regeneration Trust’s support to enable us to provide additional play sessions for families and their children.

“We plan to take the families outside, so we need to buy rain suits and wellies for the wee ones, who will inevitably get messy through painting sessions, getting muddy collecting leafs, and our make and taste food classes, where little fingers love to squish up the food.”

Families attending take ownership of their groups and receive help from a family support co-ordinator as well as four volunteer support workers.

Clackmannanshire and Dunblane MSP Keith Brown dropped in on one of the sessions following the announcement.

He said: “It is really good to see the Coalfields Regeneration Trust support Home-Start Clackmannanshire's excellent work in the community.

“Home-Start's new outdoor programmes sound like a lot of fun, especially the messy play sessions.”

Sessions are already held on Tuesdays, but the donation will allow the charity to include ones on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Meanwhile, the organisation also received an early Christmas Gift from Opening More Doors (OMD) - the Wee County charity helping other good causes.

Families will benefit from a £500 donation, which will be used for a Christmas party.

Presenting the cheque from OMD was Kit Gow.

Home-Start aims to help families with young children deal with the pressures they face – volunteers support parents as they learn to cope, improve their confidence and build better lives for their young ones.

For more information, email homestart@hsclacks.co.uk or call 01259 213 453.