Like so many housing associations across Scotland, along with our valued partners, we have mobilised our resources to reach out to and support residents in need following the coronavirus lockdown.

It has been brilliantly supported by a range of groups and individuals without whom the scale of the effort could not have been undertaken, showing that community spirit is alive and well!

Thenue Communities, the charitable subsidiary of Thenue Housing, has worked closely with Thenue itself and received a fantastic donation from Celtic FC Foundation’s Football for Good Fund.

The Urban Fox Programme – a voluntary managed project, providing activities and outward-bound sessions for young people along with Tesco Parkhead are delivering “Afternoon Tea in a Bag”, and planting sunflowers to offer hope throughout this crisis. They are also distributing activity packs for children and the elderly to keep them occupied.

A free food delivery service is also in full swing. Every Monday a welfare call is made to residents in Calton, Blackhill and Cranhill and then shopping is delivered to them the following day. Each Wednesday a welfare call to residents in Bridgeton and Dalmarnock is made and then shopping delivered on Thursday.

Prescriptions are collected and delivered across the week. In Netherholm, Castlemilk welfare calls are also being made, and shopping and prescription deliveries carried out.

The breakdown for each of the above communities is:

  • Calton: 51 residents are supported weekly
  • Bridgeton: 31 Residents are supported weekly
  • Cranhill and Blackhill: 9 residents are supported weekly
  • Netherholm: 31 residents are supported weekly.

In total, the team is in regular contact with 122 households.

Meanwhile, Thenue Housing’s Community Regeneration team continue to maximise their resources to help. One tenant has urgently been provided with a fridge freezer while others have benefited from financial help in the form of energy top ups.

Housing team colleagues are continuing to identify people in real need and working closely with the Regeneration staff to identify requests for help and find solutions.

Even a Board Member at Thenue is lending a hand. Nikki McCurdy has set up a food preparation and delivery service in Netherholm which is proving immensely popular.

Charles Turner, Chief Executive of Thenue said: “There is no doubt that what’s been happening is the work of true community heroes. Thenue has grown deep roots in our communities over many years and when our tenants and the wider neighbourhoods look to us for help we are here for them. Thenue wants to pay tribute to everyone who is working with us whether that is an individual or an organisation. Team work is making a real difference. Thenue Housing staff are working remotely and while our offices are closed we are still here for our tenants.”

Local businesses have been keen to help – notably long-established Bridgeton butchers David Cox (pictured).

It agreed a discounted price for 70 butcher parcels per week so people can receive stew, mince, bacon, sausages, potato scones and eggs in every pack. They are pre-packed twice a week for Tuesday and Thursday deliveries and paid for by funders.

Rosie Robertson of Thenue Communities added: “We have always known what brilliant communities we operate in. But the coronavirus pandemic has shown that local people are willing to go the extra mile just to help others.”

In need of help? In the first instance contact your housing officer to ask to be referred or call Thenue Communities directly on 0141 550 9573 or email Rosemary.Robertson@thenuecommunities.co.uk

(Update provided by Thenue HA)