Staff at Maryhill Housing are stepping up their efforts to give something back to the communities in which they work.

They recently held another ‘Wee Volunteer Day’ by cleaning up an area of allotments in Ruchill. Weeding and tidying up in readiness for winter was the aim and the allotments are now looking their very best.

The Ruchill Allotments have been a huge hit with local people choosing to grow their own vegetables and were set up by the Association and others.

Staff at Maryhill have also selected the two charities they will be supporting for the next six months – one local and one national.

The national charity which they will fundraise for is the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) and the local charity is Glasgow’s Northwest Food Bank run by the Trussell Trust. The aim is to raise £2000 for the charities as well as collect 1,000 items of food over the next six months.

Food for the Food Bank is being collected through ‘Dress Down Fridays’.

On the last Friday of each month staff are encouraged to wear casual clothes if they donate a minimum of three items of food. Those who do not dress down make a cash donation. The staff are also running raffles, baking stalls and sponsored events to raise the £2,000.

Bryony Willett, Maryhill’s chief executive, said: “We know that most members of our staff are keen volunteers and enjoy the opportunity to give something back to the Maryhill and Ruchill communities.

“We are putting a new emphasis on volunteering and the enthusiasm from our team has been magnificent.

“People choose careers in housing usually out of a desire to help others with the provision of good housing and a focus on regenerating communities. Volunteering seems an ideal fit with those values.”