A NATURE-inspired community company in the Borders is on the trail of some vital funding.

But the people behind Nature Unlimited need votes if they are to extend their pioneering Wild About Wellbeing project.

Dozens of young girls have already benefitted from the pilot project in Galashiels.

And it is hoped to extend the woodland sessions into Peebles and Hawick.

Nature Unlimited was founded in 2015 to run support sessions for children and young people in local woodlands.

Within 12 months it had grown from an original team of three to a core of seven workers with a diverse range of skills and qualifications based in Kelso, the central Borders, Liddesdale and Tweeddale.

They also recruited a small army of 21 volunteers to help with the pioneering work of the group across almost all of the entire Scottish Borders.

That growth has continued over the past 18 months with hundreds of youngsters learning to manage risk and to build their resilience and self-confidence, while getting outdoors, connecting with nature and being active.

Nature Unlimited's Wild About Wellbeing project has now been shortlisted for the People's Project regional final.

Now in its 13th year, the Big Lottery Fund, ITV and The National Lottery are teaming up to give the public a chance to decide how National Lottery funding should be put to good use in their local area.

This week (Friday) Nature Unlimited will showcase its project, Wild About Wellbeing on ITV Borders news at 6pm.

But to win the cash it will need viewers to vote at www.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk

Jan Barr, project coordinator at Nature Unlimited said: “This is an exciting opportunity to raise awareness and support for our work and, with your help, to secure further much-needed funding.

"We urge local people to get behind us.

"If successful, our project will make a real difference to our local community by providing an early intervention to stop the ticking time bomb of mental health issues that is a problem for all our communities.”

Nature Unlimited want to use the lottery grant to run groups in Galashiels, Hawick and Peebles for young people to get off their screens, away from cyber bullying and out into nature.

Their pilot project has had many positive outcomes for participants, including raised self-esteem, greater confidence and resilience, as well as improved attendance at school.

Jan added: "As 75 percent of mental illnesses in adults begins in the teenage years, it is vital that this work continues."

Voting closes at midday on April 30 with Nature Unlimited competing against four other projects in the region to win the lottery funding.

Nature Unlimited project assistant Catriona Hamilton told us: "This would make such a difference.

"I have witnessed for myself the wonderful transformation in the young women who took part in the Wild About Wellbeing project in Galashiels.

"It would be amazing if we could secure the funding to extend this to other venues in the Borders."

To vote, go to www.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk