A fantastic new facility has been created for the benefit of the community and additional support needs (ASN) families.

Thanks to an investment of around £70,000, East Renfrewshire ASN Parents Action Group, known as ERA, have developed the space at Barrhead Waterworks.

(Image: Newsquest) It is now home to a big polytunnel, an indoor meeting space and an area for barbecuing and making pizzas.

(Image: Newsquest) ERA's groups have been using the facility throughout the summer, but chairperson Oonagh McKinnon wants to get the word out that space is also available for other community groups as well.

(Image: Newsquest)

(Image: Newsquest) Oonagh told the Glasgow Times: “We have built a new facility which we have been using over the summer.

“We got money to clear a space in the waterworks and fence around about it and it's now got a big polytunnel and we are growing things like tomatoes and vegetables.

“Over the summer our kids would come down and they would use the space to play and do different things outdoors.

“We have also got a meeting space that we are using for our groups."

(Image: Newsquest) “It’s a great new resource particularly for additional support needs families," she added.

“It’s giving kids a chance to find out about growing, where their food comes from and to play out in the open air.

“It’s a big investment but it’s going to make a big difference to all our families and the local community.”

(Image: Newsquest) The group received the investment from the Scottish Government’s Place Based Investment Programme via East Renfrewshire Council.

(Image: Newsquest)

(Image: Newsquest) As part of the funding, the space is connected with the Dunterlie community, but any community groups can come down and use it for free.

(Image: Newsquest) “We have been doing Bookbug down there and we have got other groups who are doing their own wee bit of growing as well," explained Oonagh.

“We are trying to get the word out around about the community that the waterworks is all open and available for people to use, but we also want to get people to come down and use orchard which has been here for about ten years but people don’t know whether they can pick the apples or not.”