Shettleston community hero nominated for National Lottery Award

The project leader of a Shettleston-based community group has been nominated for a major award for his work turning a derelict and unloved space in the heart of Glasgow’s east end into a popular community allotment.

Kenny McCubbin, from the Shettleston Community Growing Project, has been shortlisted in the Community and Charity category of the 2023 National Lottery Awards.

Set up in 2009 by people in the area who wished to grow food for themselves and their families, under Kenny’s direction, Shettleston Community Growing Project has come to play a central role in the community with more than 1,500 people now regularly using its allotments.

The group’s 2,071 square metre site on Eckford Street is home to more than 50 raised beds for individual and group use, ideal for food growing in urban areas, with produce ranging from beans and carrots to garlic, pumpkins and sweetcorn.

Providing a range of programmes for people of all ages and abilities, Kenny, who took up his post in 2015, and the team at the project work with local volunteers, teaching them everything they need to know about maintaining a working allotment, wildlife and community gardening, providing back-to-work skills and helping to fight isolation, depression and anxiety.

Under Kenny’s leadership, the Shettleston Community Growing Project continues to play an active role in the community, providing much needed services for local people, including schools and nurseries.

The charity also runs a Community Fridge as well as children’s gardening club, The Smelly Welly Club, teaching young people how to grow, nurture and harvest, as well as cook the produce they grow in their own raised beds. Its members also learn about nature, the environment and climate change and the impact this is having on our planet. 

Over the years, the organisation has received more than £255,000 of National Lottery funding from The National Lottery Community Fund.

Kenny said: “I’m thrilled to receive a nomination for a National Lottery Award and for the Shettleston Community Growing Project’s work to be recognised in this way. The number of people, young and old, we support throughout the year is really significant.

“There is a lot of work going on that we don’t always shout about, we’re just happy to do it because it’s the right thing to do for the local community. Bringing joy to people is what motivates our team and the organisation is my passion, I love the work we do to provide opportunities.”

The National Lottery Awards are the annual celebration of the ordinary individuals and organisations who do extraordinary things with the help of National Lottery funding. This year, 3,780 people and projects were nominated for the work they have carried out with the help of National Lottery funding.

The outstanding individual’s section of this year’s National Lottery Awards will honour unsung heroes in the following categories:

• Heritage
• Sport
• Community & Charity
• Environment
• Young Hero (Under 25s)
• Arts, Culture & Film

Over the summer, a panel made up of representatives of The National Lottery and partners, will decide the winners in each of the individual categories.