The search for Glasgow's Community Champions has launched for 2023 and over the next few weeks we will be speaking with last year's winners.
Jason Methven, group coordinator at Growing Together (GT), took home our Health and Wellbeing Award.
The project, a part of Fortune Works in Drumchapel, uses horticulture to teach transferable skills and improve wellbeing.
He said: “The work we do is around adults with disabilities, and raising awareness, as well as eating well and general well-being.
“The award has raised our profile. We won the Health and Wellbeing Award, so, to get that message across, through the Glasgow Times and get the title of Community Champions, was an amazing opportunity.
“It has done a lot for us, it has been a real boost to our profile and it was the first time Fortune Works has won this award.
“It’s been a great year for us and after they managed to win two more awards.
“We won UK Garden Centre of the Year and we just won the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society Certificate of Merit.
“It has been a rollercoaster, it has been great.
“Just shows you what could be done when you look at things and work on getting better.”
READ MORE: Drumchapel project supporting disabled adults runs 'Garden Centre of the Year'
In their in-house garden centre, which is open to the public, they welcome customers every Monday to Friday.
Other than this, the social enterprise runs a private garden, where service users plant seeds in the allotments, harvest the vegetables and learn about seasonal nutrition.
The group itself is also partly run by them, teaching transferable life skills, which will benefit them.
GT also works to tackle discrimination, bullying and hate crime, through education and work in the community.
Working with over 100 adults, who came to them through referrals, the group has always been well-known in the community, but last year's prize really elevated their status.
Jason added: "It's all about the awareness. We have done a lot in hear talking about health, the awards, nutrition and diets.
"The after-effects of these is that people are eating better, they are generally healthier, and more than likely feeling better.
"It's a lot of what we already did anyway, but it was great to get a wee accreditation and an award, it was a cherry on top.
"And then, the celebrating as well, because you need to celebrate your successes, so it was great to do that as a team.
"Being champions has been a lovely wee journey, it has been a great year for us.
"If we could enter again, we would.
"But, obviously, it's about taking part as well."
The main difference volunteers noticed, has been a rise in their social media audience and people in the public becoming more aware of the great work they do.
He said: "The following on our social media has grown. More people have heard about us, and generally, our audience grew.
"It has really boosted our profile."
READ MORE: Glasgow Community Champions 2023: Here's how to nominate
In the future, GT hopes to enter and win even more competitions, to get even more recognition to their hard-working staff.
They are also going through a restructuring, with the aim to cut their costs by cultivating even more of their own products.
Hoping to continue the success of its garden centre, the group has also been focusing on growing their audience and have been involved in several local projects.
Jason said: "We try to keep ourselves busy and make sure that we are always up to something meaningful.
"It's always great to get that community engagement and we are always creative with our general ideas."
We want to hear about inspirational individuals and great groups in your area - who do you think deserves recognition for fantastic community work?
You can nominate anyone, from a community cop who goes above and beyond the day job to the inspirational teenager making waves at school, from pensioners campaigning for better services to grass-roots sports coaches inspiring young people to get active.
Tell us why they should win and remember to include lots of detail and photographs and video to support your entry.
You can nominate online by clicking here, or email stephen.laughlin@localiq.co.uk.
For more information, call 0141 302 6019.
The closing date for entries is Thursday, September 14.
A shortlist will go to a public online vote to determine the winners in each area – North East, North West and South - who will then progress to the Grand Final at Glasgow City Chambers on December 5.
A judging panel made up of representatives from the award partners will decide the Grand Final winners.
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