The Broomhouse Health Strategy
Group is a community led health project that was set up in 1993 by a group of local
volunteers. The aim is to enable the residents of Broomhouse, Sighthill and Parkhead,
recognised as low income areas in SW Edinburgh, to have easy access to fresh
fruit and vegetables. It has since remained a small local charity, run by 29
volunteers, supported by three part time workers and one sessional worker.
They run a Fruit & Veg Co-op,
have Free Cookery Classes and provide a Drop-in Health Service among all the
other organised events and activities. You can find all about them in their own
words, by checking out their website.
We were appointed as
accountants for the Health Strategy Group in 2011 and are full of admiration
for the work they do for the people of Broomhouse and surrounding areas. On a
recent visit, we were delighted by the colourful paintings all around their
co-op shop and thought we should share some of their story with you.
After being awarded over
250 litres of paint from Dulux, the Broomhouse Health Strategy Group
commissioned an artist to draw up designs for painting over 450m2 of surface
area around their community shop! The practical work took place over three
weeks and was carried out by around 60 local residents and business volunteers
contributing over 200 hours!
It’s an amazing example of community empowerment – the local community came
together to make it happen. The result is not just a colourful facelift, but
also an increase in social connections within the community, with some very
proud active local volunteers and a local community that has had its self-
esteem significantly raised.
There will
be 48 different breweries present including two Bolland and Burke clients; Elixir Brew Co and the Knops Beer Company presenting the following beers: 
