Out & About – Tannahill Centre, Ferguslie Park
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An important part of our work at CHEX is getting out and about and learning about the community-led health work going on in communities across Scotland.
This helps us understand the situation as it is on the ground, to develop our network to best meet your needs and to celebrate the successes and share good practice.
Earlier in the year Sarah met with Terry, Volunteer Co-ordinator at the Tannahill Centre in Ferguslie Park in Paisley. The Tannahill Centre is a community hub, which acts as the area’s community anchor organisation.
As Terry explained, this means that the team play a supportive and nurturing role to the development of formal and informal community activism, groups and activities to ensure the needs of as many people as possible are met in new and creative ways.
Community activity
When CHEX visited, the seniors lunch club were busy with activities and the team were preparing for the playscheme. The centre has three main strands of work. Mental health & wellbeing which is addressed through a variety of services including a weekly drop in and free counselling service.
Youth work activities include volunteer led creative activities such as music-based sessions and open mic sessions. This approach fosters community involvement and leadership.
Dignity is at the heart of all the Centre do, but most importantly in the way they address their third theme, food insecurity. As well as the senior’s lunch club breakfast, tea, toast and soup are available daily at the centre and the weekly community pantry distributes food for a nominal fee, which is waived if necessary.
Taking a positive and preventative approach Terry describes the Tannahill Centre as an anchor organisation engaged in ‘shipbuilding’, creating opportunities and spaces for wider associated groups to come together, develop and thrive.
An example of this is the Darkwood Crew, a constituted group of local residents tackling poverty and the climate emergency through a range of local projects including their new community tool shed.
As important as the formal projects and groups supported are the strong community connections and sense of belonging the organisation seeks to foster for the whole community.
We're always keen to visit local projects and understand more about your work. Get in touch with the team.