How social value shines at Glasgow’s Silverburn
The launch of Silverburn in 2007 had a transformational impact on its surrounding community on the outskirts of Glasgow. As a key stakeholder within that community, the Silverburn onsite property management team team feels a strong sense of duty to give back to local people, so community engagement has long been a core focus for the retail and leisure destination. It operates Silverburn Cares, a multi-faceted Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, through which it fundraises for charity, actively engages with the local community, and strives to be more sustainable.
Earlier this year, Silverburn Cares was shortlisted as a finalist in the Community Engagement category for The Pineapples, an award scheme established to recognise excellence in placemaking and urban renewal in the built environment, from community engagement to public space. 2023 was a record-breaking year for The Pineapples, which received the most entries ever submitted to the awards.
Long-term community engagement
In 2022, Silverburn was acquired by Eurofund and Henderson Park. The same year, 55 Silverburn team members spent 141 hours organising or participating in community and fundraising activities. The retail and leisure destination has provided work experience, entrepreneurial workshops, and sustainability education.
Through a long-term approach to community engagement, the Silverburn team regularly interacts with local schools including organising sustainability education days with Crookston Castle Primary and Woodfarm High School.
More than 100 people were hired from Silverburn’s 2022 Jobs Fair, providing employment for local people. And in 2022 Silverburn hosted work experience for three young people, which engaged more than 30 members of the Silverburn team in 80+ hours of education and engagement.
What’s more, the team completed three organised litter picks within the local community to encourage a cleaner environment.
Charity fundraising
The Silverburn Cares Community Fund has raised significant funds for charities and community groups. What’s more, the retail and leisure destination further supports charities by providing space throughout the year. Organisations it has supported range from Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity to Beatson Cancer Support as well as support for disaster relief events in response to the devastating situations faced in Ukraine and Pakistan.
In 2022, Silverburn:
- Donated more than £40,000 of space for awareness events and fundraising on the mall.
- Raised £56,728.52 for more than 15 different organisations including £5,578.45 for the Silverburn Cares Community Fund.
- Gave £2,800 in cash, vouchers and items to various local causes including £1,000 for the Glasgow Spirit of Christmas campaign.
- Provided over £15,000 of free advertising and awareness for various community or charitable campaigns across our screens and lightboxes.
Inclusion and a warm welcome
Providing inclusive and welcoming spaces is a priority for the Silverburn team. In 2022 it worked closely with invisible and visible disability groups to improve signage and experience, including an autism sensory map which allows individuals with autism to plan their visit.
Silverburn also invested in a LGBTQ+ history of Glasgow poster in a prime location, to highlight that all are welcome. It engaged with locally based gender equality groups to improve its inclusion approach, as well as providing the groups with space to run their own awareness activities.
Silverburn’s team engaged in Alzheimer’s Scotland’s Dementia Friends training to provide a better experience for those experiencing the impact of Alzheimer’s.
Read more about how Workman onsite property management teams deliver social value within their communities through retail assets.
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