A Glasgow-based housing co-operative has described a community grant fund as a ‘crucial cog’ in helping to strengthen a local community.
Since 2017, Hawthorn Housing Co-Operative has received £80,000 worth of funding from a procurement expert, with the money being used to transform the Possilpark community and encourage resident participation.
The funding has been provided by the Scottish Procurement Alliance’s (SPA) Community Benefit Fund (CBF) in partnership with Lintel Trust.
Hawthorn Housing Co-operative has transformed vacant land into a community and memorial garden and is now planning to develop, in partnership with the council, a play park complete with facilities for older children and adults, including fitness equipment and cycling paths.
Colin Turnbull, director of Hawthorn Housing Co-operative, said, “For an organisation of our size, the grant awarded through the Community Benefit Fund is significant. The area around the Co-op was rundown, with derelict buildings, abandoned land, fly-tipping, and no pleasant public spaces.
“The long-term fund has assisted us in developing a social strategy focused on providing wide-ranging benefits for the residents of this community by improving derelict spaces and a wide range of activities to bring the community together and improve wellbeing. Having this money has played a significant part in giving us the freedom to turn our ambitions into action, and to develop a long-term plan to benefit this community for future generations.”
Since its launch in 2017, the CBF has distributed more than £2 million in grants and match funding to support over 102 community groups, charities, and various causes.
Lesley Anderson, regional director at Scottish Procurement Alliance, added, “It is incredibly rewarding to see the tangible impact of the Community Benefit Fund in Possilpark and how this investment has contributed to shaping the Hawthorn community over the past eight years. The CBF fund has been in operation for some time now and I’ve seen so many exciting and uplifting projects aimed at bringing people together, meeting the needs of residents and regenerating places and communities with its support.
“Since 2017, the work Hawthorn Housing has done to transform the area as well as supporting its residents to become more engaged with local community groups and initiatives has been incredible. This is exactly what the CBF aims to do, to get right to the core of what’s important to communities and provide them with the necessary support to realise these ambitions and turn them into something which delivers a far-reaching social value.”
Collaborations at Hawthorn have also extended to Young People’s Futures, supporting children in gardening and nature activities, and creating the Robert Stewart Memorial Garden. The project includes a wheelchair-accessible path, a wildlife pond, and the planting of over 100 trees by volunteers.
SPA contributed to the construction of the accessible path by spending a volunteering day supporting the project team and their contractor and volunteers, from a nearby business, who have also developed a partnership with the Co-op.
Other initiatives include the ‘Welcome to Hawthorn’ project, which has helped integrate more than 70 families from diverse linguistic backgrounds. The project has culminated in the Co-op hosting ESOL classes in its office for people across Possilpark.
Furthermore, the development of the Women’s Wellbeing Group provides activities aimed at supporting and empowering younger women.
The financial support has been supplemented through match funding efforts and the Lintel Trust has played a pivotal role in identifying and signposting projects and enhancing support mechanisms and opportunities. SPA has also contributed directly to these projects.
