A COMMUNITY project which highlighted 'the good, the bad and the ugly' of Bonhill through the medium of photography came to a highly successful conclusion.

An eight-week photography course culminated in a photography exhibition at Bonhill Community Centre and visitors were encouraged to pop in and see the final results.

And the scheme was hailed a resounding success.

The project was financed through the 'Your Community,' initiative run by West Dunbartonshire Council.

The money helped finance equipment, a venue and other associated materials necessary to allow the photography project to get up and running.

And the scheme was designed for those who live in the Bonhill area, who experience social exclusion or isolation, to get involved and be part of a brand new community project.

It was also about inspiring people to take ownership of their community and highlight ways in which it can be improved.

Over eight weeks 10 participants took part and they were tasked with illustrating, through their own photographs, what their surrounding area means to them.

It was a warts-and-all project in terms of the positive and negative aspects of living in Bonhill and in the end two of each participants' best works made the cut for the exhibition.

Beside each photograph there was a comment from each contributor, explaining the link between the image and its relevance to the subject matter.

The most popular picture/relevant photo was taken by local resident Sarah Jayne McGlashan, whose winning exhibit was transferred onto a canvas and presented to her.

But in the end everyone was a winner because all the participants were given a certificate of completion for the course and they got to keep the cameras they used.

The project involved Inclusive Images Ltd, a non-profit social enterprise business, the Bonhill Community Garden Group and The Leamy Foundation, a developing and self-improvement project in West Dunbartonshire.

Charlie Sherry, from Inclusive Images, said: "I couldn't have any more overwhelming admiration for the people of Bonhill than I already do.

"This was a community project, for the community and they backed it.

"There's no doubt that the future of the area is in safe hands with these guys.

"The project helped encourage people who are in social isolation and it was a project which they found therapeutic.

"It was about how you can change the environment in your community and some of the pictures the participants took showed the good, the bad and the ugly side of the area.

"We then asked them- 'What's the relevance of the picture to the area?' and we got them to think about it.

"They came back and each week we had different pictures until, in the end, we took their two best ones and put them on display- with comments attached to each one, explaining the relevance."

The project culminated in last Thursday's exhibition and it was also a time to reflect on the success of the eight-week workshops.

Charlie said: "Even during the worst of the snow, we had 10 participants come along.

"Basically, we were told at the start 'You'll never get anyone in Bonhill to do anything' but we showed that if you give people something which can help improve their

community then they'll do it, they'll respond."

Charlie would like to thank all the participants and all the organisations that helped fund and deliver the project.