Supporting Scottish Housing Communities!

Projects Supported by the SPA Community Benefit Fund

Community garden at HawthornHawthorn Housing Co-operative 'Greening of Hawthorn'

This project encouraged the community to get involved with their community garden and growing. Community volunteers learned to upcycle wooden barrels and made beautiful planters, distributed in the estate. Other volunteers 'adopted' the planters and took care of the plants in them. The addition of raised planters enabled people to grow vegetables and fruit in an area unsuitable for growing edible plants and some ingenious recycling of old Eurobins, reclaimed wood provided the community with a place to meet, socialise and enjoy the outdoor space together.

Hearty Hospital Meals CVHAThe additional beauty of this project is that it sparked more interest and involvement from the community and was the catalyst for future projects which included the formation of a very effective Community Action Group.

Hawthorn's commitment to improving their area continues with support from the Community Benefit Fund and they have achieved substantial match funding to make further improvements.

Hearty Hospice Meals at St Andrew's Hospice

This project started up during the first Covid lockdown. St Andrew's Hospice were alarmed to find that their outpatients were struggling to eat well during a time of severe restrictions. Many were too unwell to cook for themselves, were no longer able to rely on carers or lacked energy due to their illnesses.

The existing kitchen at St Andrew's was already cooking for inpatients so with they ramped up the production of meals and provided a mobile meal delivery service, manned by St Andrew's staff and volunteers.

As restrictions lifted, vulnerability to Covid still endangered people already suffering with terminal illnesses so St Andrew's Hospice was awarded £10,000 of funding to allow them to continue the provision of meals to their most vulnerable clients.

Clyde Valley Housing Association nominated the Hearty Hospice Meals project in recognition of all the members of their community that have benefitted and continue to benefit from assistance from St Andrew's Hospice.

South Ayrshire Holiday Hunger - picture of girl eating an apple

South Ayrshire Holiday Hunger Scheme

South Ayrshire Council nominated this forward thinking scheme in 2017, long before the rest of the UK (and famous footballers!) recognised the importance of ensuring children are not left hungry during the long summer holidays.

They created a free summer programme of fun activities together with community partners, local churches and voluntary groups to prevent stigma associated with free school meals. 

With a total of 4 years funding from the Community Benefit Fund and support from local businesses, the project grew and now serves several rural areas, caters for all school holidays and is funded as a essential service through the council and Scottish Government.

Shared apprenticeship Angus Council

Shared Apprenticehip Support, Angus and Dundee Council

This project had the admirable aim of opening opportunities for local people and small businesses to benefit from the skills and knowledge sharing in hosting apprentices. It is a big commitment for a small business so the Shared Apprenticeship Scheme enabled smaller businesses to take part whilst offering a wide range of opporutnities for the young apprentices themselves.

The Community Benefit Fund award provided an 'emergency fund' for young people facing additional challenges such as housing issues, difficulty accessing transport in rural areas and any other issues that might stand in the way of their ability to successfully complete their apprenticeships.

Garden gate with bee modelBee Friendly Garden, in progress Paisley HA

Bee Friendly Garden, Oliphant Court, Paisley Housing Association

Community garden at Hawthorn

Hawthorn Housing Co-operative 'Greening of Hawthorn'

This project encouraged the community to get involved with their community garden and growing. Community volunteers learned to upcycle wooden barrels and made beautiful planters, distributed in the estate. Other volunteers 'adopted' the planters and took care of the plants in them. The addition of raised planters enabled people to grow vegetables and fruit in an area unsuitable for growing edible plants and some ingenious recycling of old Eurobins, reclaimed wood provided the community with a place to meet, socialise and enjoy the outdoor space together.

The additional beauty of this project is that it sparked more interest and involvement from the community and was the catalyst for future projects which included the formation of a very effective Community Action Group.

Hawthorn's commitment to improving their area continues with support from the Community Benefit Fund and they have achieved substantial match funding to make further improvements.

Hearty Hospital Meals CVHA

Hearty Hospice Meals at St Andrew's Hospice

This project started up during the first Covid lockdown. St Andrew's Hospice were alarmed to find that their outpatients were struggling to eat well during a time of severe restrictions. Many were too unwell to cook for themselves, were no longer able to rely on carers or lacked energy due to their illnesses.

The existing kitchen at St Andrew's was already cooking for inpatients so with they ramped up the production of meals and provided a mobile meal delivery service, manned by St Andrew's staff and volunteers.

As restrictions lifted, vulnerability to Covid still endangered people already suffering with terminal illnesses so St Andrew's Hospice was awarded £10,000 of funding to allow them to continue the provision of meals to their most vulnerable clients.

Clyde Valley Housing Association nominated the Hearty Hospice Meals project in recognition of all the members of their community that have benefitted and continue to benefit from assistance from St Andrew's Hospice.

South Ayrshire Holiday Hunger - picture of girl eating an apple

South Ayrshire Holiday Hunger Scheme

South Ayrshire Council nominated this forward thinking scheme in 2017, long before the rest of the UK (and famous footballers!) recognised the importance of ensuring children are not left hungry during the long summer holidays.

They created a free summer programme of fun activities together with community partners, local churches and voluntary groups to prevent stigma associated with free school meals. 

With a total of 4 years funding from the Community Benefit Fund and support from local businesses, the project grew and now serves several rural areas, caters for all school holidays and is funded as a essential service through the council and Scottish Government.