Plans to upgrade community hall

Hillhead United Social Club (HUSC) members raised the funds to pay for their current building in Newdyke Road, Kirkintilloch, in the 1960s, and it became an important part of the social scene in the area.

But the facility has deteriorated and is in need of renovation. Meanwhile, trustees of the club have got older and some have left the district.

The club is now looking for people from Hillhead to volunteer as new members of the committee alongside the remaining trustees, president Jim Bell, vice-president Robert Jonas, and hall keeper Charlie Burston.

The first task for the new committee will be to hold a community consultation to find out what people would like the HUSC to be used for. Then, based on the results, the committe will apply for charitable status so that funding can be raised to renovate the building.

Susan Murray, of East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action (EDVA) and PC John McSorland, police link officer for Hillhead, have been working with the remaining trustees.

Susan said: “Through my work using the HUSC for the Food Co-op I got to know the hall keeper Charlie and told him EDVA could help get a new committee together.

“He has done a fantastic job maintaining the building and keeping it running, but it’s getting too much for the people left on the committee.

“We want to keep them involved, get more help and see what the community wants done with the building, andgive it a bit of a facelift and revive it back to what it was.

“The HUSC is still used for children’s parties and there’s a small business that runs out of it. I’ve heard it was originally paid for by people saving sixpence a week, so a lot of families in Hillhead contributed to the cost of the building.

“This is a great opportunity for the people of Hillhead to get the best out of a well placed community asset.”

In the meantime current activities will continue and a new youth cafe will be set up.

Susan added: “It’s proposed to start a youth cafe on a Friday evening.

“Kirkintilloch Skatepark Initiative intend to lend them skate ramps. In the future we can bring in some dance leaders and ask the community for old computers to put games on. It will be somewhere kids can hang about safely.”

People wanting to volunteer for the committee can contact Susan by email at: [email protected] or call 0141 578 6680.