A pensioner from Tillicoultry headed to the Belgian capital to speak firsthand about the benefits of volunteering
Grandmother May Barker headed for Brussels this week on her own important European mission.
The 76-year-old from Tillicoultry travelled to the Belgian capital with Volunteer Scotland on Tuesday, where she shared her experience of a major European Project exploring the impact that volunteering can have on bringing people and communities together.
The Get Connected – Volunteering and Shared Values project involved partner organisations from across four European countries: Dublin City Volunteer Centre (Ireland), Serve the City Brussels (Belgium), Volonterski Centar Osijek (Croatia) and Volunteer Scotland (Scotland).
Volunteer Scotland have been working closely with Chapelle Crescent residents over the past year. May was one of the first people to move into the flat complex in 1965 and has lived there for 54 years as a council tenant.
She said: “People were desperate to get these houses back then. They were brand new and innovative. They had underfloor heating, which was quite a new thing. I’ve lived here since I was 22 and raised two kids here. It’s a shame that not many children live here now.
“It’s great that this project has started, Chapelle really needs a boost. We’re trying hard to make a difference and hopefully once residents see things are changing for the better even more people will want to join in. I’m really proud to be going out to Brussels to represent my community.”
Over the past five decades, May has witnessed the deterioration of the housing scheme and with it a loss of community spirit.
“When we first moved in, we had a residents association,” she said. “We got together to get the drying greens mono-blocked, linoleum put down in the stairwells, new car parking and a kid’s playpark. But that’s just down to one piece of play equipment these days and lots of the flats are lying empty now.
“People look down on Chapelle Crescent, but it didn’t used to be like that. This project has given people a bit of hope that maybe things can change for the better, that something good may come of it and people will become more neighbourly. We’d also love to see the outside of the flats and the closes spruced up a bit. Then more people might be interested in living here. It’s still early days, but we have lots of ideas and are planning a fun day this summer to get people together.”
The Get Connected project focuses on the impact volunteering can have on people and their feeling of connectedness with their local communities, their attitudes and their general wellbeing.
George Thomson, chief executive of Volunteer Scotland, also embarked on the trip to Brussels.
He said: “We’ve really enjoyed getting to know May and the other residents. The project has helped spark conversations amongst residents about what’s going on in their community and what’s important to them. We hope May’s experience will inspire others to become more active in their communities and work together to improve their area. Although the project has come to an end, we’ll continue to support Chapelle Crescent with their plans.”
