Elderly residents from Lochside in Ayr went on a magical mystery tour recently in a bid to tackle social isolation.
The Lochside Neighbourhood Group organised a bus tour with help from the Council and a generous donation of £850 by local electrical supplier Rexel UK.
The company based in Ayr is a Council supplier and working with the Local Authority they agreed to help bring isolated people together. The Council uses community benefit funding from its suppliers to help make a difference to South Ayrshire residents, so this was a project right up their street.
Many of the 30 residents who went on the trip find it difficult to get out and about, so the trip was a chance to make new friends and explore the area which in some cases they have not managed to do in years.
The group travelled to Girvan where they visited the Quay Zone and had a walk around the picturesque harbour before doing a bit of shopping. The bus then headed along the coast to Turnberry and Maidens.
A stop at Dunure was a chance for them to learn more about the history of the harbour see the boats and savour the beautiful coastline. The last stop was the village of Tarbolton for a hearty lunch.
Bobby (75) said: "The best part about the day was the camaraderie and bringing people together"
Betty (87) said:" The trip was great, the Lochside Neighbourhood Group does a fantastic job."
Myra Nicol, Lochside Neighbourhood Group said:" We involve people of all ages and abilities in various projects and initiatives and we are delighted to have organised this trip for the older members of our community."
Alasdair Macfarlane, Business Manager, Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway for Rexel UK said: "As a company we are committed to investing in local communities so it is a pleasure to be able to contribute. I am delighted that we were able to be involved in such a meaningful project and that a great time was had by everyone involved."
Councillor Douglas Campbell Leader of South Ayrshire Council said: "We actively encourage our suppliers to work with us to promote social wellbeing in all our communities.
"I would like to thank Rexel UK for their contribution, the group had a great time and I hope they can experience more trips in the future.
"The trip was also an opportunity to find out what older people think about democracy in South Ayrshire. It's important that everyone has a voice and their opinions will be fed back to the Scottish Government to help inform their Democracy Matters Bill."