EXPLORERS at a Greenock nursery are off to the rainforest — after their class was transformed into a jungle as part of a poetry initiative.

Gibshill Children’s Centre have brought a touch of the tropics to the classroom to celebrate the launch of the Raspberry Ripple Rainforest project.

The Smillie Street nursery now boasts its very own indoor greenspace and it is all thanks to local mum and author Julie Anna Douglas, who has written a collection of poems which she is sharing with the youngsters to assist with their learning and understanding of rhythm, rhyme, and alliteration.

She came up with the rainforest-themed idea and joined forces with staff at the nursery, where daughter Sarah attends, to deliver the unique new project.

It is being backed by a grant of £1,900 from the Communities and Families Fund, a joint venture between Big Lottery and the Scottish Government.

Each child has received their very own pack of poems all colourfully illustrated to help enhance their learning in class and at home with their families.

Julie, who lives in Port Glasgow, has worked alongside Gibshill head of centre Janine Burns and depute Craig Scott to develop the rainforest idea and it is starting to bear fruit.

She said: “My daughter has been here for almost two years and Janine and Craig got to know I write poetry and I had 12 poems written about the rainforest and we put our heads together.

“It’s very educational for the children but it’s also good fun.”

Julie’s poetry has featured in the Spider and Ember magazines in the USA, The Caterpillar in Ireland and various anthologies.

This year she was shortlisted for the National Literacy Trust Poetry Prize and the Port mum-of-two is also a regular contributor to the monthly Amazing Children’s Educational Magazine.

The Gibshill project teaches youngsters about words and sentence construction and introduces them to basic concepts such as stories, colours, letters and numbers while engaging them in the exciting and colourful rainforest environment.

So far the Raspberry Ripple effect has delighted head of centre Janine.

She said: “Julie’s very creative and came up with the project and the indoor rainforest so that when the children came in they were very excited.

“It’s going well and we’re hoping we’ll see the impact.

“The children are enjoying it and really joining in.”