New Cumnock: Honey Pot facility to welcome first kids

The Honeypot Children’s Charity opened the new home for young carers in Scotland, the first of its kind, near Dalleagles.

Since 1996 Honeypot has been working to enhance the lives of young carers aged five to 12 by providing respite breaks and ongoing outreach support.

Honeypot Dalleagles (Image: NQ Archive)

Having officially opened its doors back in July, the new centre, just five minutes outside of New Cumnock, is all set to welcome its first group young carers next week.

The organisation gives young carers a break from demanding and stressful responsibilities at home and provides a safe, nurturing environment where children at risk can develop to their full potential.

Operations manager at house, Bruce Ruthven, said it's been a long journey, but the team can't wait to welcome the first group of kids.

READ MORE: Honeypot respite facility officially opens

He said: "To see where we've come from to where were now is incredible.

"These kids are special and we just wanted to create somewhere where they can come in, relax and just be kids for a change.

"The picturesque landscape is something that a lot of them might not have seen before, so it will be a nice change for them and we are looking at taking them on trips to see some of the places nearby.

"We can't wait to get the kids in and let them enjoy themselves here."

Plans are being looked at to extend the house further, including a refurbishment of the outdoor area, so the kids can enjoy the spacious garden area.

Bruce has also been planning ahead to have some special Halloween and Christmas-themed nights.

The amount of weekend breaks that the charity is able to offer will also increase over the coming years, meaning that more children will be able to take advantage of the stunning facility.

The charity has benefited from generous funding of £10,000 from the Scottish Children's Lottery, as well as recently receiving £15,000 from Expert insurance provider, Ansvar.