Stenhousemuir FC named Regional Champions

Community Help Initiative wins High Street Heroes Regional Champion Award

The club is delighted to accept the High Street Hero Regional Champion award on behalf of everyone that has contributed to the Community Help Initiative.

The awards recognise the people, businesses and local organisations who have gone above and beyond to support their communities during the coronavirus lockdown and re-opening.

The CHI was launched on 13th March, the day that football was suspended and 11 days in advance of the first lockdown. It grew rapidly and quickly became one of the largest community support schemes in the UK, providing weekly services to over 350 families. The CHI is now embedded into the clubs wider community engagement and inclusion programme and currently supports 90 households every week.

An incredible team of over 200 people have been involved in delivering a plethora of essential services and support to some of the most vulnerable people in the community. To date the programme has achieved the following outcomes.

• 23,945 volunteer hours of support for the most vulnerable people in the community
• 11,532 school lunch deliveries to children qualifying for a free school meal
• 4,829 free home cooked meals delivered
• 2,707 shopping trips completed for shielding households
• 1,504 food parcels delivered to vulnerable families
• 500 bedding plants gifted
• 82 households benefiting from a virtual library service with over 1,000 books distributed
• 35 socially isolated people accessing a befriending service

Scotland’s Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell, who recently met with the club (virtually) after hearing about the incredible impact the CHI has had in our community, praised each and every award nominee for their efforts, saying: “I would like to thank these High Street Heroes for going the extra mile to help their communities during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I am pleased the Scottish Government has been able to support these awards through our funding for Scotland’s Towns Partnership. They typify the kind of community spirit that has supported people and improved lives.

“This has been a difficult year for all of us, and the only way we will get through is by sticking together, being kind, and offering help where it is needed. The fact that these awards received more than 1,200 nominations just shows how much people have appreciated those who have pulled together to help one another.”

Jamie Swinney, Stenhousemuir FC Chief Executive, welcomed the recognition for the many volunteers involved “The club is honoured to receive this recognition on behalf of the 200 people who have come together in the most inspiring way to help those in need. The togetherness and compassion shown by local people is something we should all be very proud of, and something that can be a real asset as we recover, build and grow once again. 

“The football club is immensely proud of the role it has played and continues to play as a Community Anchor Organisation. We were delighted to be able to share the story with Aileen Campbell MSP, and hope that the what we have achieved in our community can be used to inspire others and engage with communities the length and breadth of Scotland”.

“We are committed to continuing to support everyone in our community who needs help, our community will always be right at the heart of our club and at the forefront of our strategy and vision. Well done to every individual volunteer and all our partners including Keeping Larbert & Stenhousemuir Beautiful, Larbert High School, Carron Bathrooms and the Larbert Round Table”.

“Thank you to everyone who nominated the club and CHI and thank you to the team at High Street Heroes for selecting our club as the Regional winners”.

Read the full press release here https://lovelocal.scot/scotlands-high-street-heroes-honoured-for-covid-19-response/

If you want to volunteer within the clubs Community Help Initiative or you know someone or a household in our community that require support please call the club 01324 562992

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