Bikes donated to Queenzieburn pupils

The pupils and teachers of the Queenzieburn school were delighted recently when engineering company BAM Nuttall gifted them six bikes, complete with lights and helmets.

The kind donation now means that even children who do not own a bike will be able to sit their cycling proficiency test with their friends when they reach primary six or seven.

Headteacher Barbara McNaughton is over the moon, and says the kids are too!

She said: “When we spoke to Dorian at BAM Nuttall about the business partnership they asked what they could help us with.

“This was one of the things they suggested and it’s really fantastic for us and fits in well.

“Sometimes the children’s bikes are too small, or their brakes are too worn, and they can’t take part.

“This’ll mean they’ll still be able to do their cycling proficiency.

“The kids were really excited about getting them, I think they all just wanted to jump on and have a shot!

“BAM are going to continue to maintain them for us as well so it’s brilliant for the school.”

BAM Nuttall’s Kilsyth plant manager Dorian Rixon was only too happy to offer Chapelgreen Primary a helping hand.

He said: “BAM Nuttall have an initiative called Beyond Zero which aims to improve our employee’s welfare, health and safety and community involvement.

“We procure the bikes from a place in Stirling called Recyke-a-Bike.

“They take bikes in and recycle them and sell them for charity.

“We’ve done many different projects with the school over the last few years.

“ We’ve had them out at our depot planting flowers and we’ve been down to the school to help them with various things.

“It’s always fantastic to do something to put a smile on the kids’ faces.

“We always get fantastic feedback from them when we have a project with the school.”