Vital community project which provides furniture to people on low income returns
Housing association helps community project.
A trail-blazing community initiative which has helped low income families with furniture for 25 years is back with help from Maryhill Housing.
Ruchill Furniture temporarily shut down a year ago after issues with a lease at its former premises.
Now the scheme, staffed entirely by volunteers and reliant on public donations of furniture, has returned at a new location and promised that it is ready to start helping people again.
Ruchill Furniture has been a huge success in north Glasgow and has been going since 1992 by collecting and distributing unwanted furniture to families and individuals in need.
A charge is made to purchase the furniture but in exceptional circumstances it can be provided free.
The aim is to assist people who simply cannot afford new furniture and to help furnish their homes.
After Ruchill Furniture – which makes no profit – left its former premises near Maryhill Road, Maryhill Housing stepped in to help find a new location. One was found in former retail premises at Glenavon Road, near three multi-storey blocks of flats owned by Maryhill Housing.
The housing association used money from its Community Fund to help Ruchill Furniture pay the rent at the new location allowing it to go back into business.
The Community Fund was set up by Maryhill Housing to help projects just like Ruchill Furniture.
One of the volunteers, Eleanor Brown, who is Chair of Ruchill Furniture, said:
“We are delighted to be back so that we can carry on helping people in real need of furniture.
“The need for help is very great, and I’m sure people have missed us. We are keen that anyone needing our help now knows where we are and comes along.
“We are very grateful to Maryhill Housing for helping us financially from the Community Fund.”
The project has been operating since 1992. It is also able to refer people to other agencies and organisations for further support if necessary.
The project has a strong environmental role, too – by preventing furniture going to landfill and providing it with a new lease of life in someone’s home.
Those requiring furniture are often referred to the project but personal approaches from people in need of furniture are also accepted.
A spokesman for Maryhill Housing said:
“This is great news for the community. Ruchill Furniture does an amazing job thanks to its volunteers and the inspiring work they do. We are pleased to have been able to help.”
Caption: Eleanor and two of her volunteers prepare for the re-opening.