Residents in Ferguslie Park have voted to award £10,000 to local community projects as part of this year’s Good Ideas Fund, a participatory budgeting programme delivered by the New Tannahill Centre and funded by the Scottish Government.
The funding was allocated following a community ballot held at the Tannahill Centre on 1st December, where 386 votes were cast by local residents. People were asked to choose the projects they believed would make the biggest positive impact in their community.
Seventeen community groups applied for support this year, with eleven projects successfully securing up to £1,000 each. The projects funded reflect a broad range of local priorities, including community food provision, youth activities, wellbeing, social inclusion and neighbourhood events.
The successful projects are Ferguslie Seniors, Muay Thai, Cameron School of Dance, Tannahill Events Team, Ferguslie Community Market, St Fergus Families Together, Ferguslie Community Meal, Ferguslie Community Choir, Wednesday Drop-In, Renfrewshire Autism Group and Seekers Youth Club.
Terry McTernan, Volunteer Coordinator at the New Tannahill Centre, said: “The Good Ideas Fund is a brilliant example of community-led decision making in action. Local people decided what the priorities should be, local groups put forward ideas, and the final decision was made by residents themselves. This shows what happens when power, funding and decision making are placed directly in the hands of the community.”
This year’s funding priorities were shaped by more than 130 residents who took part in a community survey earlier in the year. Mental health, the cost of living, youth activity and inclusion were identified as the main issues facing people living in Ferguslie Park.
Applications totalled £17,148, highlighting the high level of demand for community-led investment in the area.
Paul Irwin, Community Development Manager at the New Tannahill Centre, said: “The sheer range of applications this year shows the amazing talent, resilience and commitment within our community. Ferguslie Park is full of people with ideas and energy, we’re proud to support them and help these projects make a real difference locally.”
Funding will be distributed over the coming weeks, with projects expected to run throughout 2025 and into early 2026. The New Tannahill Centre said it will continue to support groups that were unsuccessful this year by helping them identify alternative funding opportunities.
The Good Ideas Fund is a participatory budgeting initiative funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by the New Tannahill Centre, aiming to empower residents, build local capacity and place decision-making directly in the hands of the Ferguslie Park community.
Photo: From left to right: Paul Irwin (Community Development Manager, The New Tannahill Centre), Margaret Mullen (Ferguslie Seniors), Rose Hanson (Cook, The New Tannahill Centre), Johnny Davidson (Wednesday Drop-In member), Elaine Carter (Ferguslie Seniors), Shelby Davidson (Cameron School of Dance) and Terry McTernan (Volunteer Co-ordinator, The Tannahill Centre)
Photo Credit: David Cameron