MORE THAN 500 children in some of Fife’s hardest-hit areas scribbled, sticky-taped and origami’d away their summer thanks to a partnership between culture charity OnFife and local foodbanks.

OnFife used £13,558 from the Summer Programme Fund to run a season of fun and engaging experiences for families, such as outdoor book events for babies and toddlers, craft workshops and ‘Make and Play’ art bags for use at organised activities during the summer holidays.

They also gave 550 of these bags out to families through foodbanks in some of Fife’s communities hit hardest by the pandemic, including Dunfermline, Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy, which include areas that are ranked among the 10 per cent most deprived areas by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.

The bags contained crafting essentials such as scissors, glue, colouring pencils and sticky tape. Activities ranged from good old-fashioned colouring-in to mask-making and ‘jumping frog’ origami.

Foodbanks said recipients were “over the moon” to get the packs, with one family even taking home five bags.

John Thompson, co-ordinator at Dunfermline Foodbank, added: “The parcels have been well-received by families and certainly keep the children occupied. Hopefully the projects will spark their imagination.”

Christine McLean, head of cultural heritage and wellbeing at OnFife, spearheaded the initiative as one of her first projects in post since joining the cultural charity recently.

“We believe inspiration is for everyone and know how valuable creativity is to our communities," she said. "That’s why we were so excited to bring art to families hard-hit by the pandemic and austerity.

"We hope these have provided some inspiration over the summer holidays.”