A NEW wishing well for Lochore Meadows hasn't been built yet but there's already £700 dropped in it.

Derek Davidson helped bring Fairy Wood to life in the country park – which led to praise in the Scottish Parliament and his pals joking he'll soon be 'Lord Davidson' – and he is keen to add to the attraction.

His latest initiative is a wishing well and he said: "Laura McConnell, who is part of a brilliant fundraiser group on Facebook called 'Killer Queens', started the ball rolling by donating £700 and we want to thank her group from the bottom of our heart.

"This will be named Fairy Queens Wishing Well."

And the generosity doesn't end there with workers willing to give their time for free to make it happen.

Derek told the Times: "I've had a message from Garry Herkes, of Liberty Home Construction, who said he'll build it for free if I can source the materials for it.

"And a good friend of mine who's a joiner, Gordon Small, will do the woodwork for it so that's brilliant, I can't thank these guys enough.

"It's going to be one you put money in so I'll source a metal grille to go on the top and we've also got someone who got in touch about donating a slab circle for it to sit on."

There are still details to be finalised and he isn't short of ideas.

He said: "I've got about three grand in the bank account as I did a splash for cash at New Year which raised £1,000, we got another £1,100 from the Benarty Santa run and with the money from Laura too, my heid's burling with ideas!

"I've been making bird feeders and squirrel feeders – there are two red squirrels at the Meedies – and I get up on a Saturday and Sunday to feed them.

"We've thought about putting up a wooden screen, it'll give the birds privacy but kids can look through holes cut in the screen to watch them feeding.

"I'd also like a big bird feeder, a carved wooden post about eight feet high with two or three arms to hang feeders on

"What may be next is an aerial path, a walkway above the ground so it doesn't affect the surface, the flora and fauna, but how much I'll get done with the money we've got I don't know.

"I've also applied for a grant, I should find out by April, for these oak posts where you can put a brass plaque with a picture of an animal, a deer, robin or squirrel, something like that or maybe a fairy, and kids can take a rubbing of it with paper and crayons."

Lochore Meadows Country Park manager, Ian Laing, said: "We've not decided on a final site for the wishing well as yet, we're still in discussions.

"It's a new structure so there are a number of considerations, such as making sure it doesn't disturb the roots of trees.

"There is the potential for bird hides too so there are a few irons in the fire and Derek's gathered a fair bit of support.

"I certainly think the aerial walkways, if they were two or three feet off the ground, would be an attraction in itself and protect the ground too."

Derek, from Lochore, tried to alleviate boredom for Benarty kids during the first lockdown last year by knocking up around 100 wooden bird boxes for locals to take away and decorate.

A legacy project from the Benarty Emergency Response Group, which he was a part of, it's grown arms and wings since then.

Next he produced around 200 fairy doors, with the locals' finished artworks placed, with permission, around the Meedies to form Fairy Wood which was, at Christmas, turned into a winter wonderland with a further 96 little wooden trees, decorations and fairy lights.

Mr Laing said: "It's bringing people to the park, and a lot of very small children, so it's proving to be a popular attraction and they're getting exercise and fresh air into the bargain."

It was such a hit that Cowdenbeath MSP Annabelle Ewing tabled a motion in parliament, praising the work of Derek and others, including Tammy Marr, Amy Beveridge, Gordon Mackie, Bobby Hodge, James Skivington and Gordon Small.

She described it as a "wonderful community initiative during a difficult festive period for many" and said: "Christmas might seem a distant memory, but I wanted to recognise the amazing efforts of everyone involved in the Lochore Meadows Fairy Wood Christmas Display which lifted everyone's spirits, so submitted a parliamentary motion early in the new year."

Derek laughed: "That was a big surprise but it was great. My mates have been phoning up and saying I'll be Lord Davidson next!"