Glasgow good cause group shortlisted for Community Connect award

Elizabeth McIntosh with Doreen Hogg, project manager (Older Carer Services), Adrienne Cunningham, information and support manager and Gillian Andrews, admin officer.

Community Connect was launched earlier this year with a successful trial in Scotmid’s North Member Region and has now been extended into the West Member Region.

The initiative enables Scotmid members to award Good Cause Groups with funding of up to £15,000, generated via the sale of single use carrier bags.

Scotmid members collect votes by swiping their Community Connect card after every in-store purchase and then cast their votes for their preferred good cause group at the West Region’s Annual General Meeting on 30 April.

Glasgow East End Carers are one of three Good Cause Groups, who have been short-listed by a Scotmid member selection panel to receive a financial award of either £15,000, £7,500 or £2,500. The other short-listed Good Cause Groups are Glasgow-based Street Connect and West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare.

Formed in 1992, Glasgow East End Carers recognise that carers need support, information and advice and provide this by offering services in their ‘Carers Hub’.

The Hub provides activities that improve physical, emotional and mental well-being – providing a break from caring, helping to reduce stress and building greater resilience.

Funding from the Community Connect award will be used enable carers to attend workshops and support groups which teach stress management and relaxation techniques; helping the carers to continue in their role and reduce pressure on health and social work services.

Elizabeth McIntosh, Carers Hub manager, said: “East End Carers, Carers Hub Project is delighted to have been chosen as one of the three shortlisted organisations for Scotmid’s West Member Region.

“The Carers Hub provides ongoing support to unpaid carers in the east end of Glasgow and the Project will use the funding to provide a range of health and wellbeing activities for our carers to help them look after their own health and be better able to continue in their caring role.”

The local community is encouraged to support Glasgow East End Carers’ Community Connect campaign and can find out more by visiting Scotmid Co-operative’s website, scotmid.coop, and become a member by picking up a membership leaflet at their nearest store.