Lace company steps in to help Brownies

Aug 27 2010 by Clair Fullarton, Kilmarnock Standard

A TEXTILE factory in Newmilns has stepped in to help a girls’ group plagued by teeny vandals.

Scott Davidson, managing director of Morton Young and Borland, donated a security gate and metal shutters to the Galston Brownies, Rainbows and Guides after their hut was broken into twice in one week.

Vandals daubed poster paints all over floors and walls in the first attack and smashed into a locked cupboard and threw coffee and paint all over the floors on the second occasion – days after the committee spent an entire weekend clearing up and giving the hut a fresh coat of paint.

And the factory even installed the new security gear for the group much to the delight of the hard-working Friends of Guiding committee, who have worked really hard to bring the place up to scratch after both break-ins.

A committee member said: “We are delighted with this donation from Morton, Young and Borland and it is even better news they installed it for us too.

“This should hopefully make a big difference to the security at the hut and help keep our equipment, and premises safe. We can’t thank Mr Davidson and everyone from the factory who helped. ”

It was previously thought that the vandals had not stolen anything during their two raids on the hut, but in fact a £300 tent was stolen, and later recovered, in the woods near the hut days after the second attack.

The police are investigating both break-ins at the hut, which is near the town’s former primary school in Glebe Road.

Meanwhile the Brownies return for the new session tonight (Thursday) at 6.15pm.

Morton, Young and Borland is the only lace factory left in Newmilns and has been weaving fabric in the Irvine Valley for over 100 years.