The charity Retail Trust has opened a community hub in Newton Mearns following a £1 million renovation of its Hugh Fraser Retirement Estate.

Three disused spaces and a community café within the estate’s Crookfur House have been refurbished by the Retail Trust to build the new facilities which will provide services and support for more than a thousand people a year.

The hub will host disability and health support groups for people with long-term health conditions alongside activities for the Retail Trust’s residents and the wider community, including exercise classes, craft groups, film nights, quizzes and indoor bowls.

It has been backed by a £200,000 grant from the UK Government’s Community Ownership Fund, which helps save and restore community spaces, and other funders include The Hugh Fraser Foundation, bp, East Renfrewshire Council, Garfield Weston Foundation, B&Q Foundation and NEXT.

Voluntary Action, Age Concern and Talking Points East Renfrewshire are among organisations already working with the Retail Trust to provide services from the hub and the charity is now calling on other community groups to make use of the space.

Lawrence Coen, managing director of property and supported living at the Retail Trust, said: “Our new community hub has been designed to meet the needs of our residents and the wider community. We will welcome hundreds of people every year thanks to the grants we have secured to build the hub and the organisations providing services to the community from here.

“We’re now encouraging other groups to make use of this new space so that together we can bring more support to those at risk of isolation or managing long-term health conditions across East Renfrewshire.”

UK Government Minister for Local Growth Alex Norris, said: “Opening the doors of Crookfur House after this refurbishment is a brilliant example of this grant money being used to transform disused spaces into a long-term, fit for purpose, community asset.

“It is wonderful to see how the community has come together to protect and support the needs of their most vulnerable and I’m sure the people of East Renfrewshire will welcome the opening of this revived community hub. We will continue our work to support communities and give them greater control of their assets to put them at the forefront of our ambitious Plan for Change delivering growth across the UK.”

The Hugh Fraser Retirement Estate is one of five supported living estates run by the Retail Trust for people retired from the retail industry, or who are in the care of someone working in or retired from the sector. The charity also works with more than 200 retailers to protect their staff’s wellbeing.

This includes NEXT and Dobbies Garden Centres, who worked with the Retail Trust to create the new community hub, with NEXT interior-designing the space and donating furniture and decorating materials, and Dobbies Garden Centres volunteering time and donating products to create a new garden on the site.

Jonathan Sykes, general manager at Dobbies Garden Centres, said: “The Hugh Fraser Retirement Estate is a fantastic community asset and our Milngavie store team are proud to have had the opportunity to volunteer their time to transform the garden space. There’s now a pond to encourage wildlife, seasonal planting, garden decorations and raised beds, so the residents have the opportunity to grow their own fruit and vegetables. We hope they enjoy the space as much as our team enjoyed supporting this really important project.”

The project has been delivered by Clark Contracts and the construction company has also paid for and constructed a new fence at Crookfur House through its community benefits programme.

Community groups looking to make use of the new facilities should call the Retail Trust on 0141 616 3744.

Picture caption (left to right)

Councillor Colm Merrick, East Renfrewshire council leader Councillor Owen O’Donnell, East Renfrewshire Provost Mary Montague, Lawrence Coen from the Retail Trust, Julia Whitaker from East Renfrewshire Council, Elaine Donachie from the Retail Trust, Caitriona McCaulay from East Renfrewshire Council, Helen Goldsby-West from the Retail Trust, Kathy MacIntyre from the Retail Trust, Councillor Andrew Morrison, Ruth Semple from Scottish Power Renewables.