Clydebank Housing Association spreads kindness and Christmas cheer in community
The staff at Clydebank Housing Association (CHA) have been spreading kindness and Christmas cheer in the past few weeks.
CHA housing officer, Lynne McGeachan, recently visited tenant Annie ‘Nan’ Rice on the occasion of her 100th birthday to pass on flowers and good wishes. Nan credited good genes and contentedness to help her get to this amazing age!
Lynne also dropped off a £50 grocery voucher to surprise tenant Grace McDonald, the winner of the Association’s annual consultation draw.
Aico, CHA’s supplier of smoke alarm technology, volunteered two hardworking staff for the day. Tony and Gregor worked alongside CHA’s estate caretaking supervisor and community gardener to transform unused flower beds to benefit the local residents.
CHA’s electrical contractors, Magnus Electrical, C Hanlon and ETI all committed to support tenants in fuel poverty. Magnus and C Hanlon donated 220 energy efficient light bulbs between them and ETI is sending staff, for free, to fit 50 energy efficient light bulbs in homes where tenants are vulnerable and cannot install them themselves.
Along with their contractors, consultants and suppliers, CHA created a fund of £2,260 to celebrate World Kindness Day in November. The Association provided half of the fund to West Dunbartonshire Foodshare for the Christmas Toy Appeal 2021 and used the remainder to distribute kind gestures in the community including 50 goodie bags, flowers and Amazon vouchers.
The CHA staff team were delighted to welcome Cassi of radio station Clyde 1 along to celebrate their Christmas jumper day, which raised over £80 for the station’s Cash for Kids Mission Christmas Appeal.
The Association’s elves kept on their cosy Christmas jumpers and headed up to their Radnor Park Community Garden, decorated with a small Christmas tree and lights for a festive look, to distribute selection boxes.
CHA owns Centre81, a fantastic community centre in Whitecrook, and many organised Christmas activities helped to spread a festive feeling.
On Thursday 9th December, CHA invited Santa along to meet the local children and provided selection boxes, festive arts and crafts, decorate their tree and enjoy hot chocolate and mince pies.
On Thursday 16th December, CHA organised a delicious 3-course lunch, catered by Café81, for the Centre’s regular ‘Bingo Buddies’. The buddies meet every week for some games of prize bingo and we thank the Centre81 Steering Group for sourcing funding towards this festive treat.
Chocolate treats were also provided for the Centre81 Steering Group family Christmas Party later that afternoon.
The Linnvale Community Group was also wishing to spread festive good feeling in their local community and with help from local residents and £500 from Cruden, the Association’s Dalton Avenue builder, the Group were able to distribute Christmas goodies to nominated neighbours.