Mearns Kirk Helping Hands

Our Purpose, Vision and Values

Our Purpose:

To improve wellbeing and reduce loneliness and isolation for older people in East Renfrewshire.

Our Vision:

All older people in East Renfrewshire will have the opportunity to make meaningful connections, and have a sense of belonging.

Our Values:

We are: Caring, Collaborative, Connected and Community Led.

Our Groups, Activities and Services

Our latest What's On

Social Groups and Befriending

Support for People Living With Dementia

Wellbeing Activities

Eastwood Bereavement Group

Ways To Support Us

Our Supporters

Mearns Kirk Helping Hands would be unable to carry out it’s work without the generous assistance of our funders and supporters:

The National Lottery Improving Lives Fund

The National Lottery Awards for All

ASDA Community Fund

Volunteering Support Fund (Scottish Government)

East Renfrewshire Good Causes

The Allen Lane Foundation

Age Scotland

Baillie Gifford

The Endrick Trust

PF Charitable Trust

Virgin Money

The RS Macdonald Charitable Trust

Scottish Building Society

The Iron Bridge Foundation

Darroch Family Trust

Age Scotland

The Garfield Weston Foundation

Hugh Fraser Foundation

James McNab Trust
Jennie S Gordon Memorial Fund
JHT Charitable Trust

Urquarts Community Fund

Westwood Charitable Trust

The Woodroffe Benton Foundation

We also regularly receive donations from individuals and organisations to whom we would like to express our thanks and gratitude.

If you would like to make a donation or support us in some other way you can Contact Us email hello@mkhelpinghands or phone 07858 552 767.

You can also make a donation via our Crowdfunder page

Governance

Mearns Kirk Helping Hands is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) SC046646.

About Us

As such we are registered with OSCR, the Scottish Charity Regulator www.oscr.org.uk

Board of Trustees

Mearns Kirk Helping Hands is governed by our Board of Trustees, chaired by Fiona MacLeod. Our Treasurer is Robert Paton, C.A. Other Trustees are:

Isobel Dawson

Pat Kedslie

Aileen Louden

Heather Smyth

Graham Kerr

You can see a copy of our Constitution here.

The Board is clear about Mearns Kirk Helping Hands values, aims and objectives and ensures these are being delivered effectively, as well as providing strategic leadership.
The Board makes sure that its decision- making processes are informed, rigorous and timely and that effective delegation, control, risk assessment and management systems are implemented and monitored.
The Board of Trustees leads the organisation in being transparent and accountable.

Who we Report to

Mearns Kirk Helping Hands reports regularly to our funders.

Annual Reports

We produce an Annual Report prior to our AGM each year. You can see a copy of our 2023 Annual Report here.

Our History

Mearns Kirk Helping Hands evolved from the good work being carried out by volunteers from Mearns Kirk for over 20 years. In 2016 it was decided that Mearns Kirk Helping Hands be established as a registered charity, to develop and grow these three established volunteer led groups (The Friendship Club, The Lunch Club for People Living with Dementia and the Eastwood Bereavement Group).

The three original groups continue to develop and thrive. Over the last five years we have expanded the range of services and activities we provide to include one to one befriending for older people, more social activities each week and increased opportunities to access groups which promote mental and physical wellbeing.

Our Staff Team

Our current staff team are:

Project Manager: Vicky Attwood

Volunteer Coordinator: Laura Watts

Project Worker (Befriending Project): Liz Highet

Project Support Worker: Venus Choi

CURRENT VACANCIES