Community hub in Maryhill only closed for three days since pandemic began

Despite most other institutions remaining closed or operating on reduced hours due to the pandemic, 2021 was one of CCH's busiest years.

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After only closing for three days when the pandemic hit, the charity has been providing a crucial food delivery service, nursery for the children of key workers and elderly services for the past two years.

During this time, they struggled with higher demands of food and services but together with local partners, including supermarkets and similar organisations, they distributed more than 10,000 meals.

This year presented an even bigger challenge as they continued their efforts to reduce the impact of the pandemic and reopened many of their original services too, filling their calendar up years in advance.

The extended duties were difficult to manage at first, said the charity's management.

Anna Dyer, Chairwoman of Community Central Hall said: "It took enormous amounts of work to get to this new level of reorganisation.

"It's hard to tell people on the outside how dramatic it was.

"We had to think about all these questions, who should be able to come in each day, who may have to avoid the food delivery days, who has to work from home because of their health, it was all about safety.

"We moved our elderly service to the phone and rearranged the way our 50 volunteers operated, many of them from home.

"A lot of the people who received our food deliveries told us that we were the only people they were seeing during lockdown. This makes you feel really humble.

“We told our volunteers if anyone wants to give feedback or chat to them at the door, speak with them, so we can implement their ideas and access their needs.

“We were one of the first to bring back our childcare services and now, we are running at full levels and all to locals bring their children to us.

"We are very proud of how we handled the situation, we are very much a Covid-free organisation and never had any outbreaks."

To commit to providing support, CCH brought back all its 60 staff members from furlough this year and reopened according to safety guidelines, to continue supporting vulnerable people.

They distributed leaflets and took referrals from local councillors, to ensure anyone in need in aware that they can help.

Volunteers, including new recruits who joined to help with the charity's efforts, continue to experience very high demand.

They continue their food delivery project and relaunched most of their clubs, events, classes, as well as providing space again for outside organisations, whose homes are still not open.

These clubs are aimed at tackling loneliness, teaching new skills, providing childcare and supporting the local community with job fairs, IT lessons arts and craft sessions and more.

The challenges of restructuring a community service that relies on human contact were immense, Anna said.

Temperature checks, frequent testing and even an anti-viral fogging machine became the new reality for people who visited CCH this year.

However, due to the closures of other local services, this number has risen significantly.

Even though not every club and event has returned to the hall yet, managing social distancing with the increased number of visitors has been difficult.

Since they closed briefly in 2020, the community hub overcame countless obstacles, always keeping Maryhill residents' wellbeing their priority.

Anne added: "We were only closed for three days.

"This was the first time we had been closed in 44 years of working, because our organisation is open seven days a week, from 7am until 11pm.

"Throughout the pandemic, our first thought was always our staff and the members of our community."

The people in the area are some of the most financially vulnerable in the UK, according to CCH management.

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Their events are highly sought-after and very popular.

This Christmas, they had events planned for children and adults alike, some of which, such as their Christmas lunch had to be cancelled due to the rising Covid-19 cases in the lead up to the holidays.

Going into the new year, they are still providing support and space for a community that needs it.

Staff at the hall are still closely monitoring the current Covid-related needs and are prepared to transform again if the community needs them to.

Anna said: "We are getting a little worried about it. But we are constantly assessing the situation.

“If Covid continues to grow at a very large rate, we could be facing another lockdown, which would mean more of our staff would have to work remotely.

“We might have to go back to only the most necessary people to work out of the building, including our emergency services such as food distribution and childcare. These are badly needed services.

"We are aware that the rules and needs could change from day to day and we just have to be ready for it. Conversations are going on about it every day.

"The people know they can come to us. And that is the most important thing."