A TIME team will dig into the past to uncover the history of a horticulture project's waterfront base in Port Glasgow.

Parklea Branching Out, a gardening social enterprise, is toasting a £90,000 cash boost to run a new project exploring the history of its site in Port Glasgow.

The grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund will help to uncover the heritage of Parklea as well as investigate the famous Clyde 'timber ponds' nearby.

The development of the £1.7m new community hub currently under construction at Parklea was identified as an ideal opportunity to explore the long history of the site, which started life as an orchard.

Sharon Gemmell, manager at Parklea, said “We are delighted to have been awarded funding of £88,238 thanks to National Lottery players.

“The heritage of the site is very important to the team and the local community.

"As a charity, working with clients with a variety of additional support needs, we are keen to provide a project that is engaging and educational, which will allow them to showcase their work and educate future visitors.

“Our new community hub is well under way and it this gives us the opportunity to look back to our past and link it with the future of our facility.

“Parklea has been established on this location for 27 years and hopefully will continue to do great work in the community for many years to come."

The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s support will enable the people who benefit from Parklea to explore its past and they will engage with the wider community as part of their historical investigation.

The project will also create links to the future, with discoveries being put on show and a digital archive established.

The heritage project will last around 18 months and encompasses a variety of activities for Parklea Branching Out clients including photography, historical research at the Watt Institution, an archaeology project and art classes.

The results will be showcased on site and be digitally recorded for future generations.