Wish List builds a link between local business and community

Published: Tuesday 30 April 2024

Supporting Our Communities in Hillhouse receives a donation of timber from Jewson builders' merchants.

It was ‘plane’ sailing when a community-based group saw an opportunity through the Community Wish List… and nailed it.

Supporting Our Community (SOC) is a charity operating across Hamilton and Blantyre that provides learning and training opportunities to help support individuals and families and reduce isolation and loneliness.

Needing timber and construction materials to help continue providing woodwork courses and classes in its local workshop, SOC’s Hillhouse group placed a request with the Community Wish List, and in stepped Jewson builders’ merchants with a donation of various types of wood and a selection of paint.

The charity’s Project Coordinator, Mark Rouse, said: “We are delighted to receive the donation of timber and paint supplies from Jewson and the council’s Community Wish List.

“The timber and supplies will be used in our dedicated workshop to support our Men's Shed and community-growing work. Thank you to all involved – this will make a really big difference to our ongoing projects.”

Jewson has a long history of helping charities and community groups, and so the Wish List request from SOC was perfect for them.

Jamie Cuthbertson, Jewson’s Partnership Account Manager – West Scotland, said: “We are really glad to be able to help out with a material donation to this project.

“It is great to know that construction skills are being supported in the community, and hopefully we will be able to support more projects like this in the future.”

The Community Wish List is supported by South Lanarkshire Council’s Community Engagement Team and was created by the council to enable groups and organisations to make requests for specific support to benefit their local community, including cash donations.

Chair of the council's Finance and Corporate Resources Committee, Councillor Lesley McDonald, said: “This is another great example of the Community Wish List and the benefits it can bring to local communities and organisations.

“I would like to thank the Bell Group and all of the other companies who have so generously donated so far.”

Local community groups can still submit a wish to the Community Wish List. To find out more, go to the council websitesend an email, or call 0303 123 1017.

Please note that there are no guarantees that every request will be selected, nor can there be a timeframe given of when or if requests will be taken forward, as the process depends on contractors and suppliers choosing a suitable and feasible cause to support.