Hundreds of vulnerable Glasgow families benefit from People’s Postcode Lottery Funding

Hundreds of families in North West Glasgow have benefited from a funding boost to a grassroots charity project.

Funding from People’s Postcode Lottery to children & families charity 3D Drumchapel will allow the organisation to continue and to expand its Baby Basics & Toddler Togs programme, which recirculates baby and children’s clothes, toys and equipment to families in need.

The project has received a grant £12500 to help ensure this work continues, and to further develop the service.

In the last 9 months 3D Drumchapel has had almost 200 referrals to its clothing and equipment bank, redistributing items from winter jumpers to cots, babygrows to children’s toys, to families in North West Glasgow.

The service covers Drumchapel, Yoker and Knightswood, areas with significantly reduced outcomes for education, health, wellbeing and employment. According to the most recent Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, these areas are among the 1% most deprived in Scotland.

The bank, which takes donations of clothing, toys and equipment to be recirculated in the community, is run by volunteers who have been parents who have accessed the family engagement services at 3D Drumchapel. As well as providing a valuable service to families in the community, the funding will help support parents involved in this initiative to develop their own skills and transform the service into an ongoing and sustainable social enterprise.

Sharon Colvin, Project Manager at 3D Drumchapel, said: “This funding from People’s Postcode Lottery provides a vital boost in resources to allow this invaluable service to continue and grow. It is a win-win for everyone as it provides children’s clothing and goods to families who need it as well as giving families the opportunity to give something back. I am also excited to see our own parents grow in confidence as they engage in new learning opportunities and take ownership of this initiative. I can’t wait to see how where they take it over the coming year.”

Carol Monaghan, MP for Glasgow North West said, “I am delighted that 3D Drumchapel has received £12,500 in funding from People’s Postcode Lottery for their Baby Basics & Toddler Togs programme.

“With almost 200 referrals in 9 months, it is clear how invaluable their work is to the local community, lending a helping hand to those who need it most.

“3D Drumchapel recently celebrated 20 years of supporting hundreds of children and families in Glasgow North West, and I know this grant will provide a great boost for this project. I look forward to hearing about their continued success.”

The funding will pay for one day a week of dedicated staff time, and means that the volunteers can continue providing the free service while developing a business model. They will engage in training including team-building, planning, budgeting, marketing, leadership and people skills and will also earn a unit of a college course 'Developing a Social Enterprise'. By expanding the scope and geographical reach of the service, it will be able to help and support many more vulnerable families across Glasgow.

The service is currently searching for more suitable premises to run the clothing bank from, and 3D Drumchapel would be grateful for any help offered in this regard.

Contacts:

Sharon Colvin, Project Manager, 07483121262

Niall Henderson & Rosalyn Goodfellow, Communications Officers, 0141 944 5740