Part of a new build project that delivered four flats for social rent and offices for the Association, the CHA Community Hub was constructed in February 2020 - however, just a month after completion, the facility was closed as part of the first Covid lockdown.

At the opening event on 27 March, Maggie Botham, chair of Clydesdale Housing Association, said: “We are delighted to now be up and running, hosting diverse activities with a number of groups, including but not limited to English Speaking Classes, a Ukulele group, a befriending group, the local Art Club, our own tenants’ and residents’ group and the TSB, who provide weekly outreach banking services following the closure of the local branch. And many more besides!

“Our vision for the Hub was to provide facilities not only for our tenants and local groups, but also for the wider rural community. We hoped that sharing our space with like-minded organisations and those providing vital services would support and sustain a better quality of life in the rural area, and support health and wellbeing throughout the community. We can now see that this is being realised, and that the groups who use the Hub add immense value to our local community in the work that they do.

“The Hub is the sort of place that will foster and enable further collaboration and partnership working over time; think of the possibilities for bringing even greater benefits to those who live in the rural area when we work together.”

The building received the Scottish Property Awards 2021 ‘Architectural Excellence Award (commercial use)’ which was great recognition for the hard work of everyone involved, and a testament to the quality of the design by Gary Pinkerton from Grant Murray Architects. The building has significantly improved this part of Lanark and enhanced the working environment for CHA staff.

Màiri McAllan MSP said: “It was an honour to help officially open the Clydesdale Housing Association Community Hub in Lanark. I have no doubt this will be a fantastic base from which the dedicated team at CHA can continue the hard work they do for their tenants throughout Clydesdale. Equally, the building will serve a wider purpose as a community hub. With somewhere to gather and spend time together, ‘people’ become a ‘community’.

“This is needed now more than ever and I’m delighted that Clydesdale has gained this fantastic resource. Therefore, on a beautiful Spring morning, as sunlight flooded through the architecturally designed windows, it was my privilege to officially open the CHA Community Hub and I wish the whole team every success for the future.”

The CHA Community Hub was funded by Clydesdale Housing Association, Lanarkshire Leader, the South Lanarkshire Renewable Energy Fund and the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund.