News in brief: Police appeal to parents, MoD’s £118,000 boost for schools

Police have issued an appeal to parents as they try to curb incidents of disorder involving young people in Helensburgh town centre.

Youths were arrested  for disorder in East Princes Street last weekend, and afterwards a  Police Scotland spokesperson urged parents to be sure that they knew what their children were doing.

A car was also vandalised in Colquhoun Street on Friday night, and CID are appealing for information after a house was broken into in Gillespie Drive on Friday afternoon – the public are urged to call 101 or Crimestoppers if they have any information.

British Transport Police were at Helensburgh Central station the previous weekend ‘to reassure passengers and staff’ after reports of antisocial behaviour.

Schools in Helensburgh and Lomond are set for a £118,680 financial boost from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) Education Support Fund, which aims to help make  the transition easier for pupils who are often moved from one area to another due to family members being deployed with the armed forces.

The money will be used to provide additional support for learning teachers, nurture training, books, a full-time service pupil advisor and tablets.

Colgrain Primary School also received its own, separate award from the MoD Education Support Fund of £19,000. This will be used to buy technology equipment such as tablets, laptops and a green screen.

Welcoming the news, Argyll and Bute Council’s policy lead for armed forces, Maurice Corry said: “I am delighted that Helensburgh and Lomond is to benefit from this very worthwhile fund.

“It can be a very daunting and sometimes quite stressful experience for children to have to move schools. For service family children they often have to go through multiple moves during their educational years depending on where their parents are posted to.

“Not only do these children have to deal with leaving their school friends behind and making new ones, they have to adjusting to their new environments very quickly and often have to adapt to a different educational system.”