A Yes group has designed a poster to send out a message of welcome to refugees in Scotland. 

The idea came from a member of the AIM for Yes Garnock Valley and West Kilbride at a meeting earlier this year as way of showing a visible means of support.

The group turned to the wider Yes network for help in translating the message into Arabic with the aim of sending a welcome message to refugees from Syria living in the local community. 

The National Yes Network helped by putting the Yes group in touch with Syrians in various areas across the country so they could advise on the text. 

The message reads: “To all who have come here from Syria and other places - we welcome you and hope you feel safe here.”

READ MORE: Ukraine: Scottish Government appoints Neil Gray as minister for refugees

James Dippie, of AIM for Yes Garnock Valley & West Kilbride, said: “We wanted something low key and to be seen to be saying you are welcome here.

“We thought how best to do that was to do something visual which hopefully people will be interested in.

"While this will be on our Yes board and street stalls and social media, the idea is not to put the Yes cause in people’s faces.

"We don’t want to be putting pressure on folk in any way at all.”

Dippie said there was huge scope to expand the idea of using simple messages of support for others fleeing war and persecution to settle in Scotland.

He added: “It is not just about Syrians, it is not just about Ukraniains - it is a huge human issue.

"Hopefully it will help good practice, not just within Yes groups but within our communities in general."

Hundreds of refugees from Syria have settled in Scotland since 2015 under a UK-wide programme to helping those affected and displaced by the civil war in the country. 

Following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Scotland made an immediate commitment to support 3,000 refugees in the initial wave, in line with the numbers that were resettled under the Syrian scheme.