Idea for St Andrew's stones to line Alloa walkway

A group of friends, including the Wee County's Fiona McGregor, are hoping to inspire people to pick up a brush and paint stones for Scotland's national day.

Fiona and her friends are planning to place a selection of their painted stones, something they picked up as a hobby during the months of the coronavirus lockdown, along Parliament Walk in Alloa.

They are inviting others to help celebrate the national day in a safe manner, hoping the stones could be laid down from Greenside Street, past Clackmannanshire Council's Kilncraigs HQ, and all the way to Alloa Tower.

Fiona told the Advertiser: "We've decided to create a public art display of colourful painted stones along the Parliament Walk in Alloa and we would like to invite everybody in Clackmannanshire to join in.

"Over the next two weeks we will be busy preparing our stones.

"Then, from 10am on the morning of St Andrew's Day on November 30 we will start laying them out in a line along Parliament Walk towards Alloa Tower."

The idea came as opportunities for the usual St Andrew's Day celebrations, such as ceilidhs and dinners, will be impacted by the current Covid-19 restrictions.

Fiona and her friends have been sharing the growing hobby of painting stones, which has been spreading across UK towns.

Often, people would use public art as a way of leaving messages of hope at the height of lockdown.

Indeed, a similar initiative, known as the Caring and Connected Caterpillar, proved popular in Clackmannan earlier in the summer.

Fiona added: "We know there are lots of keen stone painters out there and it would be lovely if everyone who enjoys this hobby could join in and see how long we can make our line of stones.

"Designs can be a simple or as complicated as you like, just have fun with it.

"Everybody is welcome to contribute stones to the project – just bring them along at any time after 10am on Monday, November 30, and add them to the display."