University awards £66,000 to local groups

Twenty-two groups and charities are benefiting from new grant funding launched by the University of Glasgow to support local projects doing important work in their communities.

GRID Civic Grant Funds totalling more than £66,000 have been allocated to projects supporting a wide range of impactful community initiatives – making a contribution to help those   experiencing food poverty, social isolation and exclusion, and supporting new community spaces and extracurricular activities in the Govan, Anderston and Partick areas of Glasgow.

All the projects either take place within or deliver benefits to Glasgow Riverside Innovation District (GRID), which is driven by a partnership between the University, Glasgow City Council and Scottish Enterprise.

GRID is focused on a diverse geographical zone west of the city centre covering 700 acres of mixed cityscape that takes in both sides of the river and includes Govan, Partick and the University campus at Gilmorehill.

Whilst the district represents a vibrant place to live and work, as well as offering a hub of innovation, investment and creativity, like many places it also suffers from long-standing socio-economic and health inequalities.

The University’s GRID Civic Grant Fund, providing support of up to £5,000 to individual projects, was launched in April to give local groups access to another source of support at a time when public funds are coming under strain. The awards team at the University received 63 applications.

Among the successful applicants is a Govan-based project that is addressing food insecurity by providing locally sourced, nutritious meals to the community, and a charity that is supporting asylum seekers, refugees, migrant workers, and Black and minority ethnic communities through a range of services, including ESOL classes, community meals, and cultural activities.

Other awards went to a family-oriented community project in Govan supporting sustainable living through upcycling workshops and selling second-hand children's clothing and toys, and a community radio station that aims to serve its diverse communities, giving local people a platform to share their stories.

Community Veterans Support (CVS), which gives support to former military service men and women living in Glasgow, received £4,850 from the Civic Grant Funds. CVS director David Devenney said: “Community Veterans Support is delighted to receive support from the Civic Grant Fund in recognition of the active role we play in the community.

“Our veterans are part of the vibrant local communities that make up Govan and we are always keen to play an active part in wider community life.”

Gary Porter, head coach at Glasgow Boxing Academy, which received £1,800 in funding, said: "We are extremely grateful to the University and GRID for awarding us the funding, this will allow us to continue to offer boxing and fitness classes to the community with this new equipment. We are delighted to be able to upgrade and replace our equipment and hopefully attract local people to come along try boxing and lead healthy active lifestyles."

Wing Hong Chinese Elderly Centre, which is celebrating 60 years of the Chinese community in Scotland by revitalising a communal garden in Garnethill, has received £2,500.

Amy Li-Man, Wing Hong’s chief executive officer, said: “Wing Hong Chinese Elderly Centre is thrilled to receive support from the GRID Civic Grant Fund, which allows us to bring the Oasis on San Jai project to life in a particularly meaningful year - 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the Chinese community in Scotland.

“This funding supports the creation of a welcoming green space that celebrates Chinese heritage while fostering cultural exchange, community cohesion, and wellbeing for all.”

Uzma Khan, Vice-Principal for Economic Development and Innovation, and Deputy Chief Operating Officer at the University of Glasgow, said: “The University of Glasgow is delighted to be able support projects and charities doing such vital and amazing work within their communities.

“As a civic institution with a centuries-long connection to our city and its people, supporting our community is in our DNA. These projects demonstrate the capability of communities to mobilise resources and provide a range of community-led initiatives to meet local needs. 

“Supporting communities in this way creates an opportunity for the University and GRID to develop meaningful relationships with key partners at a grassroots level, and to better understand the priorities of people living in the areas covered by GRID.”