Hillbank Early Childhood Centre ‘Poo Patrol’ poster competition
Chief Executive Eddie Fraser visited Hillbank Early Childhood Centre recently with Chief Education Officer and Head of Education Linda McAulay-Griffiths to find out more about their Poo Patrol project.
Back in 2015, Hillbank ECC began their Rights Respecting School journey and were the first standalone early years centre to achieve gold award status. The ECC is currently working on maintaining their Gold Accreditation and Poo Patrol is an important part of this work.
The children were so fed up with dog fouling on their walks to and from Dean Park that they formed the patrol to raise awareness of the dangers of dog fouling. Working with Brian Murphy from the Corporate Enforcement Unit, Christine Strong, Dean Park Ranger and with help from the ECC steering group, the patrol has secured additional bins for Western Road and made their own dog poo bag dispensers, which have been placed around the ECC and also at Dean Park. The patrol have also used stencils and chalk spray to highlight dog fouling in the area.
Councillor Elaine Cowan, Cabinet Spokesperson for Lifelong Learning, Education and Skills and Culture said: “The Poo Patrol at Hillbank Early Childhood Centre has worked incredibly hard to raise awareness of the dangers of dog fouling and to introduce measures to help tackle dog fouling in the local community. As part of this journey the ECC launched a competition for the children and young people from Hillhead Primary to design a dog fouling poster. The winning entries were fantastic and I am sure they will help to deter people from dog fouling.”
Eddie Fraser said: “I was very pleased to visit Hillbank Early Childhood Centre and learn more about their Rights Respecting School journey, particularly the work towards maintaining their Gold Accreditation. The Poo Patrol are doing a brilliant job, in partnership with the Corporate Enforcement Unit and the Dean Park Ranger Service, highlighting an issue within their community and taking positive action to tackle dog fouling.
“The poster competition was good fun for the children and young people of Hillhead Primary but it also had a serious message that dog fouling is unacceptable and that people must pick up after their dogs. My favourite tagline was – They poop, You scoop!”
Thanks go to Odeon Cinema, Kilmarnock Football Club and Hillbank ECC steering group for donating prizes.
And the winners were:
- Zack (Hillbank ECC), Chloe and Curtis (First Place)
- Brodie (Hillbank ECC), Faith and Devyn (Runners up)
- Emma, Iona, Manal (Highly Commended)