The building firm, which is currently carrying out the construction of the 44-unit new build housing development at the former St Mark’s Primary School on behalf of Shettleston Housing Association, pledged to support charity and community groups in the area as part of their community benefits programme.

The first group to benefit was the local Smelly Welly Club children’s charity, which received 20 warm hoodies from The JR Group, to ensure the group’s young members could enjoy the outdoor activities on offer such as food growing, cooking, games and crafts.

The free-to-attend club, which is run by the local Shettleston Community Growing Project charity, is dedicated to children aged 7 to 12 and aims to provide them with the opportunities to enjoy healthy activities after school during term time.

Kenny McCubbin, project co-ordinator at Shettleston Community Growing Project, said: “We’d like to thank the kind team at The JR Group for the hoodies, which help to keep the children warm when outside and at our recent residential trip to Lockerbie Manor in August. It means we can continue to utilise the outdoor opportunities even in the colder weather.”

Also as part of The JR Group’s community benefits programme, the construction business also worked alongside Shettleston Mens Shed to provide them with a new door entry system.

The Shettleston group, which is part of the UK Mens Shed Association, brings local residents together to connect and create, building both garden furniture and friendships. Following the club’s closures during the Covid-19 pandemic, this donation from The JR Group allowed the club’s members a way to safely meet up at the group once again.

Gary McGregor, managing director for The JR Group, added: “Giving back to the communities that we help to build is a core element of our business here at The JR Group and was we are well underway with our development at the former St Mark’s site, we are thrilled to identify some key areas within the local area and we can help with. Both the Mens Shed team and the Smelly Welly group do some fantastic work in Shettleston and it was great to have been able to get involved in supporting them.”