What’s New

Thanks to the local businesses and individuals who sponsored our SWAT 2027 calendar. It is much appreciated. The new calendar will be available to purchase later in the year, including at the annual Stewarton Yuletide Evening Event. Calendar sales are an important part of SWAT’s fund-raising activities to support its projects and woodland management activities.

Please visit our Posts page for details of other recent announcements.

Main entrance to Lainshaw Woods in David Dale Avenue, Stewarton. Photo by Cara Smillie.

Woodland Management Work Sessions

Our regular work sessions are scheduled for the second and fourth Sunday mornings of each month. The dates are highlighted on the SWAT Calendar. The work sessions are normally from 09.30 to 11.30 a.m., followed by refreshments at the SWAT shipping containers in Lainshaw Woods.

For the full programme of SWAT’s scheduled work sessions in 2026, please see our Workdays 2026 post.

Tasks undertaken during past work sessions have included:

  • planting trees, shrubs and other native-plants and maintaining previous planting sites, including carrying out planting with the aim of slowing riverbank erosion
  • maintaining paths in woodland areas, including cutting back overhanging branches and impinging vegetation
  • managing non-native, invasive species
  • clearing up fallen trees and branches where these pose a danger or block woodland paths
  • unblocking and maintaining drainage channels in the woods

Membership

Please get in touch if you would be interested in becoming a member of SWAT and getting involved in future activities.

Social

The SWAT Christmas 2026 Dinner for members is currently at the planning stage. Date and venue to be confirmed.

Fundraising

SWAT is grateful to the local businesses and organizations that sponsored pages in the charity’s 2027 calendar. Calendar sales are an important part of SWAT’s fund-raising activities to support its projects.

As in previous years, SWAT plans to have a fund-raising stall at Stewarton’s annual Yuletide Event in November, where a range of items will be available to purchase to support the charity.

Community Updates

A 24/7 Public Access Defibrillator is now installed in the vicinity of Lainshaw Woods. Find out more here.

If you witness a cardiac arrest you should call 999 immediately and the ambulance service can provide you with assistance, including, where appropriate, informing you of the location of the nearest in-service defibrillator.

SWAT Members and Martin Boyle, of Solutions on Demand, with the defibrillator prior to installation

Activities from Previous Work Sessions

Members assisting with chainsawing a fallen tree to clear a woodland path near Stewarton
Two SWAT Members visit the QTS team that has assisted with path repair and maintenance within Lainshaw Woods.
Planting native trees at the Rose Reilly Sports Centre, assisted by Rose herself
Carrying out drainage works near the southern edge of Lainshaw Woods
Tree felling in Lainshaw Woods
Clearing a fallen tree from a path in Lainshaw Woods. Photo by H. Callaghan.