NEILSTON residents have been thanked for donating hundreds of bags of goods to local people in need.

Members of Neilston Football Club asked their supporters to bring food and toiletries to the Killoch Bar, in the village’s Main Street, and were delighted with the response.

More than 300 bags were donated over the course of two Saturday mornings this month and these were then collected by volunteers at Dunterlie Foodshare, based in Barrhead.

Mark Kirkland, secretary of Neilston Football Club, said he has been “overwhelmed” by the generosity of those who backed the appeal.

“The response from the village has been absolutely phenomenal,” he told the Barrhead News.

“This is the 75th anniversary of the club and we know many people have been struggling due to Covid-19, so we thought it would be good to give something back to the community.

“It’s brilliant that the village has come together for this and every member of our committee has chipped in.

“I would like to say a big thank-you to everyone who donated bags and to Karen and Stevie Kerrigan, who let us set up outside the Killoch Bar.

“Also, a special thanks to our vice-president Steven Galbraith and committee member John McDermott, who put this all together.”

Neilston co-manager Chris Cameron added: “It really is a great effort from everyone. I see that Arthurlie are also involved and it’s great for us to join that effort.

“Derek Carson [Neilston co-manager] was up on Saturday morning and he said the effort the community has made just blew him away.

“Anything we can do to help as a club, management team or playing staff, we’re delighted to do, particularly in these difficult times.”

Dunterlie Foodshare is a community-led project which aims to cut down food waste and help struggling Barrhead families by providing a ‘safe place’ for those in need.

Rena McGuire, co-founder of Dunterlie Foodshare, said donations such as tinned food, pasta and cereal will be a big help this Christmas.

She added: “It was absolutely fantastic that the club volunteered to help us in the first place and I don’t think anybody thought it was going to be so successful.

“People have been really generous.”