31 Mar 2021 Rutherglen and Bridgeton to Benefit from ‘Scotland Loves Local’ Funding

Rutherglen and Bridgeton residents will feel the benefits from a new initiative to help improve and promote the advantages of local living. A £10,000 grant from the Scotland Loves Local campaign will be matched by Clyde Gateway and will used to help local businesses in the town recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Scotland Loves Local supports initiatives in cities and towns across the country and in Rutherglen and Bridgeton, it will be used to encourage local residents to shop, eat, exercise and relax in their community while also promoting local places to visit and enjoy.

The funding will bring the ‘20-minute neighbourhood’ ambition across the two towns to life through the established and well supported ‘Love Local’ marketing campaign. Both Rutherglen and Bridgeton are towns that wants to connect residents and local businesses to each other and a place where everyone can thrive without having to use a car. ‘Love Local’ aims to demonstrate to these residents that it is easy and accessible to meet most of their everyday needs within a convenient and pleasant 20-minute return walk.

There are huge benefits from adopting the ‘20-minute neighbourhood’ approach – people become more active, mental and physical health improves; traffic reduces, air quality improves; local shops and businesses thrive; and people see more of their neighbours, which strengthens community bonds.

Alison Brown, Senior Manager at Clyde Gateway said: “This is great news for Rutherglen, Bridgeton and the wider Clyde Gateway area – this funding will allow us to promote both towns as ‘20-minute neighbourhoods’ which we hope will enable residents to live, learn and meet their needs all within a 20-minute walk of their home. We want to create an environment in Clyde Gateway which helps local people adapt to the changes ahead after the pandemic and to succeed and flourish locally.”