Congrats to club and school leavers

BY RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL LABOUR GROUP LEADER IAIN MCMILLAN

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I usually end my article with some good news but this time I’m going to start by offering my congratulations to Johnstone football club Thorn Athletic who won the West of Scotland League Third Division title on Saturday.

They will now play next season in the Second Division. The club have came a long way in a relatively short time and their success is no fluke - it is down to the hard work of a team of volunteers headed up by Johnstone legend Mark McGee.

I have to be up front and mention I am involved with the club but I am only a bit-part player, but delighted to be part of such a progressive club who provide so much to the local community.

Volunteers are the mainstay of any community and, just along the road from where the Thorn are based, is a youth club run by Provost award winner Jean Gallagher.

Jean and her team have for years now run a youth club for young people in the Johnstone Castle area and beyond.

Its future is in doubt due to finances.

Council officers are working with the group and hopefully their future can be secured. The local community have rallied round and people appreciate the work Jean and her team carry out on behalf of the Castle community.