A new project is aiming to get people back shopping on their high streets and supporting local businesses.
Karen Dean, secretary of the Fort William Town Team (FWTT) said: “One thing the Town Team is trying to do is to get people to use the high street more."
“To encourage people to come into the high street and enjoy their town.”
Since 2015, FWTT has been on a mission to keep Fort William’s High Street and Parade beautiful.
The charity, which currently consists of around 10 volunteers, adds an aesthetic touch to Scotland’s outdoor capital by engaging in monthly ‘tidy days’, looking after flower plots and planters, and organising the hanging baskets that adorn the town’s main pedestrian walk.
It also cooperates with Lundavra Primary School to help with its ‘butterfly’ plot.
Now, as the summer season for 2024 approaches, FWTT is inviting both helping hands and hanging basket sponsors to aid the effort to keep Fort William looking its best.
A friendly call is being made to anyone with time, energy, and a desire to give Fort William a ‘wow’ factor to volunteer for the monthly tidy days.
Held on the second Sunday of each month – weather permitting – from May until November, the tidies usually take two to three hours, although the group stresses all contributions are welcome.
Karen said: “We will take whatever someone will give us."
From weeding the flower beds to litter picking and helping remove stickers from lampposts, tidy day tasks are varied to include “basically anything that tidies up the town – within reason”.
Meanwhile, for those not wishing to get their hands dirty, sponsorship of hanging baskets for the season – each costing £75 and including a plaque with a personal message – is still open.
Karen added: “The baskets were initially aimed at businesses, but what we have found is a lot of people also buying them for in memoriam tributes. That makes it more community-orientated.
“It feels like a project that brings the community together. It’s a special project that would be missed if it wasn’t there.”
The same could be said about the town team as it prepares for another peak season, motivated purely by the want for Fort William to look its smartest.
“It is nice to have the local community to take pride in where it lives,” says Karen.
“Although we get lots of visitors, it’s where we live as well.”
More information on volunteering with FWTT or sponsoring a hanging basket can be found at www.fortwilliamtownteam.co.uk, or contacting secretary@fortwilliamtownteam.co.uk.
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