A SCHOOL in the Wee County is pioneering an initiative in a drive to help the local community.

Coalsnaughton PS and nursery class has launched its Helping Hands scheme, in a bid to support those in need with items of food and much more.

It's not just for parents and guardians but the wider community in the village as well.

There is a range of resources on top of non-perishable food such as baby products, hygiene products as well as pre-loved clothing.

Talks had been ongoing for some time within the school about kick-starting an initiative to support folks in need, but it would not have come about without the involvement of some clued-in pupils.

Towards the end of last year, three Coalsnaughton pupils were taken by teacher Kelsie McAlpine to a talk on period poverty at Alva Academy and it was such an eye-opening event, some of the girls took the initiative and stocked some free hygiene products while raising awareness among their peers.

Since then, the school community worked hard to implement the Helping Hands idea and make it accessible.

And so at Christmas time, a station was established at the reception desk with various goods donated by staff as well as families and anyone is free to come and take what they need, with the hope they can some day donate a little back for the next person.

Ms McAlpine and acting headteacher Anne Rice explained that staff investigating the cost of the school day, something shared with the pupils, and local authority level talks on the number of people engaged with foodbanks were also major triggers.

Mrs Rice told the Advertiser: "Our families are really supportive of all the work we do in school. So, it was basically just about everybody coming together as a community."

There have also been talks with other schools within the cluster and there are hopes others will follow the Coalsnaughton example.

The headteacher explained that while every school context is different, "it's about putting everybody's heads around the table and trying to move things forward to benefit your school, then the cluster and then, hopefully, the local authority".

An important part of all the good work is reducing the stigma for those who are struggling.

Mrs Rice said: "It's starting to build up a bit of a momentum; some of the families were initially a wee bit not too keen to take.

"But as time progresses, they know it's there and they know there is no stigma attached. We are here for the community."

Ms McAlpine said: "The girls are so proud of their period poverty work, they were reducing the stigma on that on its own."

And Mrs Rice added: "They've really taken the initiative on, they've been very mature about it all, they've been great.

"We are really proud of it, everybody works really hard within the school and nursery to benefit the school and the community, it's something that we just want to keep building on as one team."