Pupils at Elderpark primary school had their talents recognised when their school was presented with framed photographs as part of an international project, linking the Govan youngsters with Malawi, Africa.

The school is one of eleven across the country selected to take part in the Scottish Executive and Communities Scotland ‘Photography in Communities’ project.

Four pupils from Elderpark were selected by the Head Teacher and given a digital camera. They each had 24 hours to ‘record impressions of their local environments and communities’, as did a similar set of young people in Malawi.

The pupils from both countries were then able to see the similarities and differences in their daily lives and surrounding environments.

The school was presented with framed examples of some of their work and also received a digital camera and a CD with all of the pupils’ photographs on it.

Irene Donaldson, Head Teacher at Elderpark, said, ‘This project has helped the children to look very closely at their own environment and surrounding area and compare this with Malawi. It has also provided the pupils with the opportunity to develop their creative skills. Using the digital cameras they have learned how to look up and down and not just straight ahead.’    

The framed photographs included the view from 11 year-old Melissa Taylor’s father’s house in Skipness Drive, 10-year-old Steven Campbell’s photograph of the BAE Systems shipyard in Govan, and 11 year-old Kyle McNaught’s picture of Robinson’s Park in Renfrew at dusk.

All three pupils told the LOCAL NEWS that they had enjoyed the project. Melissa added that the photos from the pupils in Malawi were ‘brilliant’.

Shona Stephen, Communities Scotland Director for Glasgow, said, ‘This project shows how creative and imaginative children from all walks of life can be. The quality and content of the pictures taken has been excellent as is the way the children have captured their surroundings. Communities Scotland is delighted to be involved in the project where children both at home and abroad have been given the opportunity to record their world as they see it.’