Canal trek on bikes for town's park makeover

Fitness-mad former over-70s world bodybuilding champ Jim Bennie (74) has organised the 66-mile trek along the Forth and Clyde and Union canals on Sunday to raise cash for the Friends of Zetland Park campaign.

The project needs the residents of Grangemouth to show some community spirit and raise £25,000 which will enable them to access a £2.5 million pot of cash for the public amenity.

The £25,000 target will support an application by Falkirk Council to the Heritage Lottery’s Parks for People Programme for the £2.5m of investment, which will be used for various improvements to the park for generations to come.

Twelve people are doing Sunday’s cycle, but Jim is urging more to get involved and raise even more money for the park project.

He said: “We have a great group doing the cycle, but there is still time for people to come along and enjoy it too. You don’t have to do the whole way, you can do just parts of it.

“Zetland Park has been a fantastic place for the whole Grangemouth community for decades and it would be great if everyone supported this effort to raise the money to have it regenerated for generations to come.”

Anyone interested in doing the cycle should contact Jim on Facebook by searching for Jimmy Bennie.

You can donate to the Zetland Park project by texting FOZP50 plus an amount to 70070. If you wish to Gift Aid, reply to the Gift Aid text.

For more information visit www.mypark.scot/projects/zetlandpark. RELATED STORIESFunds will pour in for park Jim getting on his bike