Isla’s incredible effort for Bo’ness food banks

Isla France, who turned 11 last week, was inspired by her mum’s support of The Larder in Livingstone during lockdown. The P7 Grange Primary School pupil used to help her mum with deliveries and, earlier this year, she said she wanted to do something to help others too.

The kind-hearted youngster created a range of goods she could sell on a stall outside her home, with mum Alison Gordon and dad Michael France pitching in to help.

Isla manned her first stall outside her home in the Drum estate in the Easter holidays, selling slime, lip-gloss, bracelets and sand jars and raising just over £50 for the Bo’ness Food Pantry.

Inspired by her success, she decided to set up stall again on Fair E’en and, thanks to so much traffic passing to view the arches, she raised just over £100 for Bo’ness Storehouse.

In the October school holidays, Isla made more stock to sell on her stall and raised just under £50 for the Food Pantry and on Hallowe’en night she raised £70 for the Storehouse.

People in the town have been inspired by the youngster’s caring nature and have rallied to support her. Natalie Robertson and Heather Tait have donated hand-made hair bows and Helen Aitken donated a set of plastic drawers, full of craft materials.

Alison said: “People in the town have been so generous – they saw our posts on Bo’ness Natters and wanted to do their bit to help. One lady arrived at our door with a big plastic bag full of goods too; sadly, I didn’t manage to get her name.

“Everyone has been so supportive; the community spirit here is amazing.”

Isla is hoping to man another stall at a Christmas market in December and has also been invited to set up shop in the town’s Collective, should she wish to do so.

The youngster loves selling her goods and meeting new people, as well as creating goods to sell.

Isla said: “I wanted to make gifts that people my age would like, that’s why I did the slime, lip gloss, bracelets, book marks and bracelets.

“I like talking to people; it’s easy for me. It’s nice to know I’m helping other people too.”