Bee-inspired community 'pop-up' shop is creating a buzz in Gourock

Artist Catharine Clark is preparing to open her own store in the town centre next week for five days - to promote conservation and ecology.

It will be located in McGilp's Pop-Up Shop at 5 Kempock Street from Wednesday until September 1, with free arts and crafts activities for children, a selection of Catharine's own wax paintings on sale and hand-made chocolates from her 'Bee Happy' range to try and buy.

The aim is to raise awareness of bees and conservation based around the theme of petals and pollination.

Local groups including Broomhill Community Gardens, Parklea Branching Out and national organisations such as the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and Plan Bee are supporting the shop and will be represented in-store.

Catharine, who is also a supply teacher in Inverclyde, said: "I love the theme. "There will be stalls to represent community groups and community gardening projects.

"It's all about promoting the bees and ecology."

The shop will be open from 9am each day and children must be accompanied by an adult.

Catharine's 'Bee Happy' chocolates will feature a variety of new flavours, including banoffee pie, lemon meringue and even sparkling wine.

She said: "They smell incredible.

"There's also coffee, mint, orange and rose flavours.

"Chocolate is quite easy to make but the fun flavours will be great."

Catharine is originally from London and has spent most of her life living in north Wales.

She recently relocated to Kempock Street after falling in love with Gourock.

Catharine said: "I've always travelled to Scotland - I love it. "Latterly, I sold up and put everything in a campervan and travelled around the country for a while and discovered here.

"It's an all-round winner.

"I took time to decide where to move to, and Gourock is the bee's knees."