Glasgow businesses show their heart and generosity

Glasgow companies adapting their productions

Clydeside Distillery

Glasgow’s very own whisky distillery and visitor centre, Clydeside Distillery, are producing hand sanitiser to provide to healthcare facilities, care homes and charities in Glasgow and beyond. On the side of their bottles is a beautiful poem by Michael Rosen ‘These are the hands’, which was written for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the NHS.

The Glasgow Distillery

The Glasgow Distillery, whose portfolio includes Makar Gin and 1770 Whisky, have adapted their processes to develop hand sanitiser. In one day alone, they supplied 461 containers to over 40 city organisations.

Shearer Candles 

Shearer Candles, who have been creating candles in the city since 1897, have made donations of candles to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH), local supermarkets, Post Offices and SPT Subway staff to help many of our key workers with relaxation. They have also produced hand sanitiser, with a lemon zest aroma and you can order their products online. 

Loganair

Scotland’s regional airline, Loganair, which is based at Glasgow Airport, is reconfiguring planes to run an air ambulance service for COVID-19 patients. They have been given permission to convert a Saab 340 passenger plane into an air ambulance to carry patients from Scottish islands to the mainland.

Glasgow Schools and SWG3

Kelvinside Academy and their wider network of partner schools have produced and delivered more than 5000 custom-built visors to hospitals and care homes across Greater Glasgow. The ViseUp campaign to produce essential PPE equipment is being championed by events venue, SWG3, who have set a £120,000 GoFundMe and who are connecting the schools with an army of independent laser cutters and 3D printers to assist with the production.

NextBikes and Bike for Good

NextBike Glasgow, with support from Scottish Power and Glasgow City Council, are offering 1,000 one month free memberships to all NHS staff and designated key workers in Glasgow to keep them moving. Glasgow based charity Bike for Good are ensuring the fleet of bikes are maintained and sanitised and are also offering free bike loans for NHS and key workers, who don't live near NextBike stations.

Trtl

Trtl, who create innovative products for travellers, has donated 3,000 pairs of stress-busting flight socks for staff at hospitals in NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde to help ease the pressure from being on their feet all day. You can donate to the fund here.

Scottish Opera

The wardrobe department at Glasgow-based Scottish Opera, are making hundreds of sets of scrubs which will be distributed by the group For the Love of Scrubs to frontline NHS workers. GP practices and hospitals can request scrubs be sent directly to them. Financial donations allowed the team of 18 costume designers to purchase fabric for 700 sets of scrubs.

Scottish Ballet

Glasgow-based Scottish Ballet are collaborating with NHS Scotland to create movement classes for on-duty NHS and social care staff. The classes, available via their YouTube channel, will be held every fortnight with the aim to energise (starting shifts) rejuvenate (during shift breaks) and relax (end of shifts).

Glasgow Taxis

Always acting as ambassadors to the city, Glasgow Taxis, have been supporting Med Supply Drive Scotland to redistribute essential PPE equipment to NHS frontline staff.

Glasgow’s restaurants and cafes supplying food to those in need and to key workers

1051 GWR

Based in the converted Victorian railway station at Kelvinside Station, 1051 GWR, have been providing free pizza, pasta and soup for the elderly, vulnerable and key workers. The bar and grill are also serving up fish n chips on Fridays for a £5 donation with the funds going towards helping them to continue to feed the community. Alternatively, you can donate to their GoFundMe. Open to the general public for takeaway.

Langside Cafe

The retro Italian Langside Cafe are offering free food drop-offs for some of their most vulnerable patrons. The cafe, which has been serving the community in the south of the city for nearly 100 years, is delivering homemade soup to elderly customers, who can phone in an order.

Bukhara and The Lorne Hotel

Owner of Indian restaurant Bukhara and The Lorne Hotel has pledged to help support the homeless by teaming up with the Simon Community charity, as well as sending weekend deliveries to the QEUH every weekend so staff can enjoy tasty meals during their breaks.

Eusebi’s Deli

The Italian deli and restaurant in Woodlands, Eusebi’s Deli, is providing food to the homeless through Kindness Homeless Street Team Glasgow. They have also teamed up with Macmillian in Scotland to share healthy recipes, with the first being Giovanna’s ‘healing salad’, inspired by their mother’s experience with cancer. Open to the general public for takeaway and collections.

Kothel

The artisan cafe on Crow Road, Kothel are delivering free milk, pasta, tea, porridge, fruit and soap to care homes and over 70s in the area. There is a donation box outside the restaurant and the team look forward to throwing a party for the community once lockdown is over. Open to the general public for deliveries and takeaways.

Phillies of Shawlands

The independent neighbourhood bar, Phillies of Shawlands, launched a fundraising effort to support their local community by distributing meals to the vulnerable. All funds go towards the food costs with all labour provided by volunteers. Open to the general public for collections.

The Gannet

The award-winning restaurant The Gannet in Finnieston, has transformed from must-visit for foodies to a community kitchen. The Gannet are working closely with suppliers, charities and foodbanks in the area  and have distributed nearly 3,500 meals to vulnerable people to date. Open to the general public for delivery or collection.

University of Strathclyde 

The University of Strathclyde’s Nourish department, who provide value food and drink on campus have donated and delivered unused stock, including snacks and drinks, within the University’s catering facilities to local charities and essential services.

G1 Group

Scotland’s largest hospitality group, The G1 Group, who own the likes of The Corinthian and Arta, have launched the Big Social Feed initiative. In just one week, they supplied 500 hot meals and essentials to Glasgow Mutual Aid, 400 meals to Kirkwood Community Aid, 350 meals plus essential supplies to Aspire Homeless Charity, and 1000 meals to Help 4 The Homeless.

Cathedral House Hotel and Red Onion

The team at Cathedral House Hotel and Red Onion chef and owner John Quigley, have teamed up to provide dinner for 100 NHS staff at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary five nights a week. The Suppers for Superheroes initiative, which provides nutritious meals to staff who don’t have the time to shop or cook before or after their shift, is funded by the Celtic FC Charitable Foundation.

Broken Clock Cafe

The patisserie & cafe, Broken Clock Cafe, known for their stunning looking and tasting cakes, are donating £1 from every order for ingredients that they use towards making cakes to deliver to hospitals. Last week the Kelvinbridge based cafe delivered around 100 cakes to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Open to the general public for delivery and collection.

Opium

The AA Rosette award-winning restaurant, Opium, which specialises in Asian cuisine, have been providing meals to Gartnavel Hospital via the Caring for Carers charity, which supports healthcare staff. From Thai tomyam tiger prawns to tofu with fine beans and lotus roots, Opium have so far completed a month of supporting healthcare staff.

Pizza Punks

The team behind the independent pizza chain, Pizza Punks, are volunteering their time to make and supply their gourmet pizzas to staff working at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. You can donate to the fund via their gift vouchers page. Open to the general public for takeaway.

Drygate Brewing Co

Craft brewery, Drygate Brewing Co, who have always collaborated with the community to showcase beer, art, design, music and more, are helping support frontline workers during Covid-19. In conjunction with their suppliers, the kitchen team have been dishing up over 400 meals to hospital, police, and fire service staff. They are also donating a percentage of funds from sales towards SAMH, Scotland’s largest mental health charity. Open to the general public for delivery or collection.

Glasgow companies rally to pledge funds to charities

Glasgow Airport

Glasgow Airport have pledged £40,000 to the Simon Community Scotland towards their #GiveHope appeal, which aims to support homeless people by tackling the causes and effects of homelessness head-on.

Partick Thistle FC Charitable Trust

Partick Thistle FC Charitable Trust have delivered 9,000 meals to help support vulnerable people - this is the equivalent of a free meal to the number of people that can fit into their home stand.

itison

itison have once again partnered with the social enterprise Social Bite to help the most vulnerable people across the country, including the homeless, families relying on school meals and the elderly. Donate to itison’s £5 fundraiser and help Social Bite to get food packs to as many individuals and families as possible.

Celtic FC Foundation

Celtic Football Club’s Football for Good Fund has raised £300,000 so far and has partnered with numerous local charities and organisations to help those in need, from children’s charities to foodbanks to NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.

Nice n Sleazys

The independent small gig venue and dive bar on Sauchiehall Street, Nice n Sleazys is using the power of music to fundraise. They are streaming a weekly line-up of musicians on Facebook Live every weekend with funds raised going to G20 Youth Group and Drumchapel Food Bank.

St Enoch Centre

One of Glasgow's most popular shopping centres, St Enoch Centre has donated a total of £15,000 across three local projects. They donated £5,000 to both the Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice and Simon Community to support vulnerable people affected by COVID-19, and £5,000 to the RetailTRUST, the fundraising campaign to support the retail sector during this time.

Rangers FC Charity Foundation

Rangers Football Club's Charity Foundation is helping to fund a service coordinated by the Govan Youth Information Project to provide services to those in need, in particular to children and young people, living in the G51 postcode area. 

River Island

The team that work in River Island in Glasgow’s Buchanan Galleries are collectively (but separately) walking 357 miles to raise funds for MIND, which they chose due to the effect on the nation’s mental health from Covid-19. You can donate here.

THANK YOU to the city’s businesses and the many others doing such brilliant work in their communities. Get involved and show your support where you can.

Article last updated: May 2020