Kingsway Community Connections is a community development centre set up and managed by local people for local people. The Centre provides a range of services and activities aimed at improving the quality of life of Kingsway and residents of the surrounding area. originally established as Kingsway Health &amp; Wellbeing Centre it was re-named to Kingsway Community Connections in January 2021

Kingsway Community Connections

Kingsway Court is a complex of high-rise flats in a clearly defined estate in the Scotstoun area of Glasgow. The flats were built in 1964 and are bounded by Yoker to the West, Whiteinch to the East, Jordanhill to the North, and the River Clyde to the South.The year 2001 saw the Kingsway Court area being included within the Dumbarton Road Corridor Social Inclusion Partnership along with its subsequent influx of additional regeneration funds.The Kingsway Centre is situated on the ground floor of 50 Kingsway Court. It’s roots are founded in the aspirations and efforts of the previous Kingsway Tenants’ Association. In collaboration with DRC Social Inclusion Partnership, Greater Glasgow’s Health Promotion Department and Yoker Resource Centre funding was secured in December 2001.  The Kingsway Centre was established as a community development initiative with a particular responsibility to improve the health and wellbeing status of the local residents. As an unincorporated, Scottish charity, it flourished under the umbrella of Yoker Resource Centre.Given that there were now so many ‘void lets’ within the flats (around 300 at the time), Kingsway also became an obvious dispersal point when Glasgow City Council opened its arms to some of the World’s refugees. It became the second-largest host community behind North Glasgow.Another point of Kingsway’s context worth noting here is that the flats and the surrounding areas were predominantly populated by indigenous ‘white’ Scots. In this sector of the city, from about Whiteinch west to Drumchapel, residents were not in the habit of living their daily lives in a multi-ethnic environment. Their experiences of other colour, race or culture were mainly limited to local shopkeepers. The arrival in Kingsway of hundreds of, mainly destitute, refugees from around the World was yet another ingredient added to the broth of multiple-deprivation afflicting the area. In the main, local residents welcomed the refugees and offered support. However, fuelled by media propaganda and the sheer multi-cultural mix, there was a great need to address racial tensions. Promoting integration became a constant thread of the Centre’s work.In April 2004 the Kingsway Centre became an independent body with a Management Committee made up of local residents assuming full responsibility for its governance and development.In April 2010 the Organisation became a registered company limited by guarantee whilst retaining its charitable status.

Kingsway Community Connections is a community development centre set up and managed by local people for local people. The Centre provides a range of services and activities aimed at improving the quality of life of Kingsway and residents of the surrounding area.

Established in xxx as Kingsway Health & Wellbeing Centre it was re-named to Kingsway Community Connections in January 2021

This is one of three heritage trails within Scotstoun. They all start and end at Heart of Scotstoun Community Centre. This trail is centred in a busy area with main roads and a well used cycle path which has cyclists, pedestrians and dog walkers. Please make sure you exercise caution at all times and where  possible use pedestrian crossings

Kingsway Community Connections

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context