A FORMER shipyard worker who has helped hundreds of families with young children in his home town was given an emotional send off from nursery.

Inspirational family support worker Charlie McKay is retiring after 17 years at Rainbow Family Centre.

In that time he has helped pioneer great changes in early years education and devoted his time to supporting families in his care.

He found his way to working in the nursery after starting off life as a blacksmith in the shipyards and then volunteering in his own community.

But he has no plans to put up his feet and hopes to find new ways of helping the people of Port Glasgow in his retirement.
Charlie, 65, from Barr’s Brae, said: “The 17 years I spent in the Rainbow Family Centre have been the best of my working life.

“I love my job as a family support worker. I support families, but I am also one of those families. 

“I am from Port Glasgow, I brought my own family up here and it is my community.

“There have been so many changes over the years and families are now so well supported.

“I have been involved in Bookbug sessions at home, in introducing cooking classes for parents and children and help with families where there are additional support needs. I love having the chance to train and educate myself as well parents.”

Charlie has also been one of the driving forces behind the new hugely successful summer lunch clubs run in the Rainbow Family Centre and other places in Inverclyde.

He says he has never looked back since swapping the shipyards for education.

He said: “I was always active in the community, running youth clubs. I then went into working in residential care homes and ended up as a family support worker at Rainbow.

“I am the link between the home and the nursery and visit the children at home before they start.”

As he closes one chapter in his life, Charlie is looking to new challenges.

He said: “I do volunteer work at Parklea and I would like to look at the idea of setting up a Men’s Shed in Port Glasgow, somewhere for men to find something to do.”