Youngsters at a Barrhead school will now find it easier to make friends...thanks to a new ‘buddy bench.’

The brightly-coloured seat was donated to Carlibar Primary by members of the Boys’ Brigade in Barrhead, so that pupils could have somewhere to chat and get to know each other better.

Staff at the school then showed their gratitude by inviting the thoughtful group of boys to deliver a special assembly and explain why they made the donation.

Carlibar Primary’s buddy bench now takes pride of place in the school playground, offering kids a place to take some time out, relax and have fun with their classmates.

Michelle Fleming, the school’s depute headteacher, was full of praise for members of the BB group for their kind gesture.

She said: “The Barrhead Boys’ Brigade have recently undertaken a range of fundraising activities and have been supporting local causes.

“We were very fortunate to have received a donation of a buddy bench from them and are delighted to have had this very generous donation, which is a great addition to our playground.

“We invited them along to our harvest assembly to talk about their work.

“All children who attended the Boys’ Brigade assembly were encouraged to wear their uniform to school that day.”

Children and parents at the assembly were also given information about the Boys’ Brigade and how the buddy bench will help to support friendships within the playground.

Ms Fleming added: “It is a place for children to go if they would like someone to talk to or play with.”

Pupils at Carlibar Primary are encouraged to adopt an inclusive spirit and make sure nobody is left out – an aspect of school life that staff believe will be enhanced by the introduction of the buddy bench.

Ms Fleming said: “We have also trained our primary six pupils to be play-zone leaders. They will lead games at play-times and lunch and will also look out for children who are at the buddy bench and include them in the games.”

For more details about Boys’ Brigade activities in Barrhead, or if you would like to join the group, click here.