On Saturday 26 May 2018 the Gorbals Ideas Fund hosted our first Community Voting Event – Your Community, Your Choice!
In the lead up to the event we received 14 applications from local people, groups and projects. These ideas were showcased in a Market Stall Event in St Francis Centre, with 130 local people coming along to hear all about the ideas and vote for the ones they thought would make the biggest difference to them, their families and the community as whole.
We wanted to make the event fun and friendly, so we provided great food and free ice cream for children and adults alike. There was a face painter and circus skills workshop to keep the young folk entertained too. It was a great atmosphere and we were really pleased that people turned out in such high numbers, particularly given the baking hot weather!
It was great to see so many people in St Francis Centre chatting and getting to know one another and the different ideas and projects on show, even better to see the ideas and projects making connections and thinking about how they might help each other – exactly what we wanted!
- Ideas & Projects
Of the 14 people, groups and projects up for funding a total of 13 hadn’t been involved in Community Voting before and 3 were completely new projects to the area. It was great to see so many grassroots ideas on show.
Market Stall holders brought along photos and leaflets to help people understand more about what they do and the allotments even brought along some fresh produce and tasty treats for people to try!
- Voting
Everyone aged 8+ from the wider Gorbals area, including Hutchesontown, Oatlands, Laurieston and Riverside was given a ballot paper listing the ideas. They were asked to vote equally for their 3 favourite projects.
By asking people to cast 3 votes it encourages them to speak to Market Stall Holders and find out more about what’s available in the area. It levels the playing field too, giving smaller projects a fair chance to receive funding even if there are larger projects up for an award!
- Winners
There was a total of £10,000 up for grabs at the event. After votes were counted the top 3 ideas were announced:
- St Francis Primary School – Forest Schools Outdoor Programme
- Team Jinky
- St Francis Parent Council – Fun Day
Applicants had only applied for what they needed so, with bids totalling £9,580, the Community Panel was able to announce that there was enough money to fund the remaining 11 projects:
- Laurieston 50+ Group
- Blackfriars Cooking and Homework Club
- Gorbals Men's Shed
- Friday Group
- Oatlands Gate Allotments
- Friends of Southern Necropolis
- Oatlands Community Gardens and Allotments
- Gorbals Walking Group
- Gorbals Lego Group
- Crafty Sew n Sews
- SEAL Winning for Women
We’re really excited to work with them in the coming weeks and months to help them make the very best of their grant!
- Funding Available
The Gorbals Ideas Fund Community Panel is now accepting applications for our Summer Event! For an application pack contact Jo on 0141 429 3900 or email johanna@newgorbalsha.org.uk or simply download the forms by clicking the links below:
If you’d like more information about the Gorbals Ideas Fund, the Community Panel or to discuss an idea contact Jo on 0141 429 3900.
Community Voting Events are a method of Participatory Budgeting - which gives local people the chance to decide how local money is spent.
Registering people to vote
Some of the GIF Community Panel – Scott Chase, Joyce Templeton and Tricia Ingram with Community Budgeting Officer, Jo Speirs.
The winners are announced!
People got the chance to get to know each other and share their ideas.