Nature calls

A PROJECT to beautify the public toilets in Hillswick has been awarded funding from a national scheme to promote wild plants.

Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary, which recently took over the running of the public toilets from the council, has been given £2,640 to work with young people locally to plant native wild flowers, shrubs and trees.

The funding is part of the national £10.5 million Let’s Grow Wild campaign by the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew to inspire people to transform unloved spaces with native wild flowers.

The Hillswick project “Nature Calls” is one of 13 in Scotland to receive a total of £40,000.

Last year the wildlife sanctuary worked with Urafirth primary school to develop a garden in front of the public loos with a lavatorial theme, planting flowers in old sinks and toilets.

The plan is now to extend the project to work with youth volunteers to plant native species behind the toilets.

Jan Bevington, of Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary Trust, said: “It’s absolutely brilliant that we have been given this funding, which we never expected.

“We really felt the call of nature to do this and are looking forward to working with local young people to create a wild plant beauty spot around our public toilets for the community and visitors to enjoy.

“When I first heard about Grow Wild I immediately thought about the bees and how this could help them.”

She added that anyone who wanted to volunteer to help with the project could contact the sanctuary on 01806 503348.