Almond staff member right on cue at relaunch of Community Wing
Almond Community Engagement Officer launches renovated community wing.
Almond Community Engagement Officer Barbara Boertien got a big break in launching the newly-renovated Riverside Community Wing in Livingston.
Barbara, from Almond Housing Association, had nominated the wing for a £20,000 refurbishment, and was invited to take up a cue at the pool table – as a novel alternative to cutting the ribbon – when the building re-opened.
Contractor Novus selected the project as part of their Big 5 initiative – celebrating the company’s fifth birthday by investing £20,000 each into five community projects across the UK.
The wing, which is largely used by the West Lothian Youth Action Project, is a base for training workshops, summer activities and music projects. It’s also the location of the Riverside Community Fridge which collects and distributes surplus food in the area.
The refurbishment was completed in two weeks, with youngsters from the Youth Action Project gaining valuable work experience, working alongside Novus contractors. It included redecorating throughout the building, fitting a new kitchen, and overhauling the IT suite and foyer.
Barbara said:
“The Riverside Community Wing has served Livingston for 50 years but needed a repair to help it continue to benefit the community in the future.
“We’re really pleased with the finished project and grateful to everyone at Novus for their hard work.”
Barbara works in partnership with a range of groups and agencies to provide improved or additional services in areas where Almond Housing Association tenants live. She worked hard submitting a nomination which convinced Novus to take on the project as the fourth of its Big 5 renovations.
She attended the relaunch of the Riverside Community Wing on October 17 with Almond Housing Association’s Chief Executive George Webster and Capital Projects Surveyor Stewart Fisher.
Guests, which included Novus staff, members of the Youth Action Project and representatives of West Lothian Council, were entertained with music from some of the young people who attend the Community Wing, and enjoyed food cooked by an executive chef in the newly-built kitchen.
Charlie Cooley, strategic operations manager at Novus in Scotland, said:
“The West Lothian Youth Action Project is a fantastic initiative that helps young people realise their full potential. It’s been a pleasure to transform the building into a place that will be used by the community for years to come.”
Photo credit: Page 7 Photography.