A vital resource: Burnbank Community Hub
/At a time when we’ve been lurching from one global or national crisis to the next, community organisations are often a vital source of support for people who find themselves in increasingly difficult circumstances. A great example is Burnbank Community Hub in South Lanarkshire where volunteers, backed by local organisations working in partnership, are providing essential support to people during the current cost-of-living crisis.
Burnbank sits within the top 5% deprived areas within South Lanarkshire, a figure that reminds us that recent crises, from the Covid-19 pandemic to the current cost-of-living and energy crisis, are only adding to the pressures many already experience as a result of our unequal and unfair society.
Burnbank Community Hub is open every Friday 10am-2pm. and has become a vital service to many vulnerable individuals and families within the local community.
People are able to access support in the comfortable environment of a free community cafe.
The Hub is delivered by dedicated volunteers from Gilmour and Whitehill Parish Church and The Harvest Church, as part of Our Place Our Plan, Hillhouse, Udston and Burnbank, who work in partnership with Community Links and South Lanarkshire Council Partnership, to deliver a free community café and non-referral food provisions. The projects are designed to reduce stigma while providing a warm and friendly place where everyone can socialise and enjoy some hot food and beverages.
The Hub provides a wrap-around free service and offers instant access to SELECT Employability, helping with Universal Credit and financial advice from Money Matters – which are proving to be a vital lifeline to many during the current cost of living crisis. Community development workers also offer general support and signposting and can make referrals to Home Energy Scotland, The Baby Bank, Swaddle and Revolve Recycle, providing a safe non-judgmental space for people to access other services that they would normally be reluctant to engage with.
Local businesses also support the Hub including Buchannan Butchers, Asda, Warburton’s and Marks and Spencer’s.
Other projects are now launching due to the success of the Hub including cooking classes in partnership with Barnardo’s who are teaching vulnerable parents and guardians how to cook more sustainably on a budget.
More information
Read more about the services provided by Burnbank Community Hub on Neighbourly and Facebook.
The Daily Record recently highlighted Burnbank Community Hub’s amazing work in this article.
See more stories and case studies of the great work by community organisations across Scotland in our Spotlight section.
Burnbank Community Hub operates from a local church building