CASH-STRAPPED families are receiving some back to school help from a popular toy bank which operates in Govan.

The Community and Beyond Toy Bank have launched their first ever back to school collection which will help over 500 children. Each child will receive stationary basics including a pencil case filled with pen/pencil, ruler, eraser, sharpener and other items.

John Beattie, from Govan, started the collection as an off shoot of his popular toy bank initiative which runs every Christmas.

He said: "The toy bank volunteers asked me if they could do a back to school campaign. I went to the food bank to drop in a donation and I was taken aback by the amount of people who were there with kids. It came into my mind what the volunteers had asked me and when I saw the number of kids at the foodbank I thought we should be doing it, so that is why we started it."

Donations have been dropped off at the Riverside Hall in Govan and the stationary packs have been given to vulnerable and cash-strapped families through local food banks.

John also received requests from health professionals working with vulnerable families and he dropped off around 120 packs to kids at the Govan Youth Information Project this week.

Stationary giants Maped Helix and the community were among those who handed in donations to the initiative.

John said: "The donations have been unbelievable, from all over the country. We will definitely do it again because there is a need for it.

"I just want to express our sincere gratitude because the response has been amazing. The response of the people receiving the donations has made it all worth while."

The back to school collection follows on from John and his toy bank volunteers hard work each Christmas.

His collection allows families who are struggling at Christmas time to receive brand new toys for their children.

The Evening Times previously reported on volunteer Donna Henderson who is making a difference to her community by running the Balornock Uniform Bank.

The uniform bank works by allowing families to have access to school clothes in a totally anonymous setting.

A clothes rail is left within the schools who are part of the scheme filled with donated uniform. Parents who need items of clothing are then encouraged to take the pieces of uniform at their leisure.