Scottish groups receive £150,000 from Asda Foundation to transform community spaces

The grants form part of a staggering £1.2 million in funding which has been awarded to 65 community projects across the UK. Ranging between £10,000 and £25,000, the grants will go towards the improvement of community spaces where local people can come together and thrive.

The initiative follows information from Asda’s latest community tracker, which revealed over 20% of customers were concerned about the lack of community spaces in their area*, with loneliness being ranked as one of the biggest challenges faced by communities by over 38% of people*.

Among the eight groups awarded in Scotland are Supporting Our Communities, based in Hamilton, receiving £15,000 to transform their community garden, St Leonard’s Episcopal Church in Straiton, receiving £20,000 to overhaul an unused church building into a community hub, and Irvine-based Stuartfield Village Hall SCIO, receiving £25,000 to carry out urgent repairs in the hall’s roof and windows.

The £15,000 awarded to Supporting Our Community will enable the group to transform a disused area of waste ground into a community garden, open and accessible for all age groups and abilities. Individuals, groups, schools and nurseries in the local area will all be able to access and use the garden for recreational, social and educational purposes.

Mark Rouse, Project Coordinator, Supporting Our Community said: “We are delighted to receive this grant from the Asda Foundation. The funds will help transform this once unloved area into a thriving community space. This project is led by local people, and they have decided what they want and need from the garden, so we are thrilled to be able to support them in this exciting project.

“The area we’re developing was a piece of waste ground and a bit of an eyesore. The group will be using the Asda Foundation funding to construct permanent pathways so that the garden will be accessible to all, as well as a communal seating area and a sensory garden.”

Gillian Summers, Community Champion, Asda Hamilton said: “Supporting Our Community is a tremendous resource to the Hamilton community, especially those who are isolated or lonely. The best thing about the group is that they offer an open-door policy, everyone is welcome to join, and the group offers a safe and warm environment.

“I’ve been lucky enough to work with the group and help them apply for the funding and I’m so delighted they’ve been awarded the Asda Foundation grant. The garden will offer a vital outside area for everyone to enjoy.”

Karl Doyle, Chair of the Asda Foundation, said: “We know that safe and inclusive spaces can be a lifeline to many in our local communities, they offer a way for people to be together and are the home for many vital services and activities.

"Our Community Tracker tells us that many community groups are struggling to find the funding to maintain, develop and repair these spaces and that’s where we have come in to help. Through our Investing in Spaces and Places grants, and the wider Asda Foundation programme, we want to continue playing our part in uniting communities and reducing loneliness by improving community spaces and bringing people together.”

*Community Tracker June 2024 – Question D49