Crookfur House Community Hub

The Retail Trust Hugh Fraser Estate is home to 124 retirees of retail, 78% of whom are living with a self-reported health issue and 80% who are financially deprived and in receipt of housing benefit. Our residents are aged over 55, with an average age of around 75 and oldest residents aged over 90. Our estate is designed to enable our retirees continue to live as independently as they chose, with access to support that meets their needs when required. This affords them the equality of opportunity to continue to make their own choices and decisions, options sadly all too often not made available! 

The vast estate provides 119 properties tailored to the varying needs of our retirees, as well as green and social spaces for engagement and interaction, that are open to the wider community.  Recent studies show social isolation can be damaging to both mental and physical health, particularly shortening lifespan in older people. We want both our residents, and the significant population of older people living in the wider community (19% of Newton Mearns population, 22% of population in East Renfrewshire), to lead happy healthy engaged lives. 

In December 2022, our estate residents committee highlighted that the estate cafe and associated community facilities were no longer suitable to meet their needs in ageing. Built between the late 1960’s and 1980’s, these facilities were originally designed for use at a time when people lived shorter lives with reduced additional health needs. The building was not efficient or particularly comfortable, with existing glazing and heating systems rendering it too hot in summer and too cold in winter. Coupled with this, accessibility needed improvement, and the 2 available activity spaces were poorly configured, dated, and required as a thoroughfare to the cafe kitchen (so could only be used privately outside of cafe opening hours). There were also what residents felt like ‘dead spaces’ that could be brought back into improved use to support social inclusion, activity, and interaction.  

The resident community felt that during Covid, linked to the need for our retiree residents to ‘shield’, the estate and its residents had lost wider local links that had brought life to the central community hub, and provided opportunities for residents and the community alike. This had included – a buzzing cafe setting well known across the area and where people came together to connect and chat; classes and activities such as performance groups and exercise classes; visits from the local nursery children; and seasonal fayres which attracted a wide cross section of local people. 

One resident commented, ‘It’s the hub of the estate, but it’s not the hub at the moment, it’s an empty hub’. 

Building on these initial discussions, we supported our retiree community to share their ideas and collaborate on designs to improve this central hub, to better meet their needs in ageing both now and in the future. We also started to engage key stakeholders in the wider community, to re-build and extend local links, integrating this into project design. This included initial relationships with the local council, elected members and MSP’s, voluntary action, befriending and activity groups (Richmond Fellowship and Helping Hands) and Age Concern. Consultation findings were enhanced with community questionnaires, desk-based research and audits, and wider strategic fit. We were particularly focused on learning from work with older people and/or those marginalised by their health issues, to meet gaps that addressed equality of access for a significant but often forgotten cohort of people.  

Our estate residents and other older people are often excluded across society from discussions, leadership and influencing decisions that meet their needs. Our approach to the project aims to remove these barriers to inclusion and empowerment, providing mechanisms to place this often disregarded community of people centrally. 

‘We really value being included and involved, thank-you!’ 

Whilst the developmental project phase was underway, a review of the property identified safety issues with the central facilities, and coupled with the exposure of asbestos during surveys, the building had to be closed in May 2023. By this time we had developed clear and needs led co-designed proposals, but had not yet secured funds to what was looking like a £1m+ redevelopment budget. We were unable to meet the full cost through charity reserves.  

We recognised the need and importance of making this improvement project a reality for our residents, stakeholders and community, particularly those marginalised, so set to work on proactively seeking charitable, government and corporate support. Between August 2023 and March 2024 we successfully secured over £800,000, around 80% of funds needed, a very commendable achievement! Funds came from UK and local government, Hugh Fraser Foundation, Next Charitable Trust, bp, Garfield Weston Foundation, Scottish Power Renewables and Bruce Wake Charity. We were able to meet the balance from charity reserves and forge ahead with the project. 

Our contractors were due to complete refurbishment in September 2024, but the significant fundraising challenges associated with the build works had left little opportunity for us to seek income to improve the interiors beyond basic decoration. Whilst we were excited to be able to bring the community dream to life, it felt like we were falling short in creating something outstanding as we’d need to reinstate the old, dated furniture. This could make this new and exciting venture feel stuck in the shadows of its past existence.  

It was here that we started to explore in-kind support from our corporate partners, and a chance discussion about the challenge we were facing with a senior executive from Next dramatically changed the shape of the project for significant good. Next agreed to work aligned with the community needs identified, to not only design the new cafe and community spaces, but also donating all paint, wallpaper, furniture and furnishings to a value of more than £50,000. Our relationships also brokered further support from Dobbies garden centres to refurbish the pond and surrounding outside space, Very to donate TV screens for community rooms, and Clark Contracts to build the pond safety fence.  

Unfortunately, during the build process issues with asbestos and water piping caused additional costs and time delays. However, the savings made from the in-kind supply of paint/wallpaper (Next) and refurbishment of outside spaces (Dobbies and Clark Contracts led to cost savings that freed up finance to meet these costs.  

We celebrated the opening of the new modern and fit for purpose facility providing the new cafe, 3 activity spaces, nature pond, and welcoming reception in January 2025. The formal cafe food offer launched in April 2025.  

Our Community Committee of residents, community organisations and relevant stakeholders launched in February 2025, facilitating a collaborative and inclusive approach to leadership of the community hub, placing beneficiaries at the heart of decision making.  

In September 2025 we were thrilled to be selected to win the Community Impact Award at the annual East Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce Awards, recognition of our progress in supporting the whole community, particularly those whose needs were unsupported by other facilities and amenities.  

Today, the hub and its impact on the community is going from strength to strength. With funding from National Lottery and Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire we’ve secured funding for a Venue and Activities Coordinator, who started in January 2026. This role is extending our community reach, and developing new needs led activities that meet gaps in provision. She’s working closely with residents and other older people across the community, providing activities that respond to a range of social interaction and health needs. This includes themed community meals, celebrating the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, starting a new men’s social group, planning new craft classes, and scheduling showings of upcoming World Cup matches.  

Over the last year we’ve developed and strengthened collaborative relationships with Work East Ren, East Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce, East Renfrewshire Council, Business Gateway, Health and Social Care Partnership, the Fire Service, East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure Trust, local elected members, MSP’s and MP’s, Helping Hands, Age Concern, Richmond Fellowship, Barrhead Housing, Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire and smaller more localised groups. We’ve hosted training and learning events, volunteer celebrations, dementia support groups, business breakfasts, carers respite activities, craft clubs, walking group, local birthday and Christmas celebrations, themed community meals, gentle exercise classes and baby group – to name but a few! We’re seeing wider use of the cafe, and in particular it’s a joy to see children happily bobbing about, supporting intergenerational interaction.   

The success of this community led initiative, which continues to empower our beneficiaries to lead in a way that best meets their needs, is driving new collaborative developments to improve community access to nature, and create a new village square with codesigned amenities and services. These improvements are particularly focused on removing barriers to accessibility and engagement in ageing, and we’re currently planning an estate wide accessibility audit. We’re excited by the future this catalyst project is affording our community – who no longer feel like a forgotten quiet voice in the corner in our locality! 

‘I came here to LIVE in retirement, and that’s what I am doing.’ 

Community Involvement, Benefit and Impact 

Our residents committee, wider community organisations (particularly those with relevance to supporting older people), and subsequent Community Committee, have led the facility development and ongoing implementation and management. This often-excluded older cohort tell us, they feel empowered to influence facilities and amenities that impact positively on their mental and physical health in ageing. Resultingly, we now have a thriving community facility that will far exceed its target beneficiaries of 1,000 people annually, around 75% of these aged over 65 and/or affected by a long-term health issue. Importance of this community engagement will continue to grow, with ¼ of locals expected to be over 65 by 2040.   

Project Quality 

The facility is one of a kind locally, focused on supporting needs in ageing, providing opportunities to integrate this often excluded demographic with the wider community. This includes social intergenerational activities, volunteering opportunities, activities suitable for varying needs and interests including yoga, and performers/concerts.  

Mechanisms exist via staff and community management structures creating an ongoing feedback loop to sustain the projects relevance in meeting needs for those who could otherwise be excluded.  

The design quality, achieved via contributions from Next, has impacted positively on the community perception and value felt by users. The design integrates a warm, modern features whilst including elements targeted to needs of older users, such as higher tables suitable for wheelchair users, chairs with arms to aid rising, scatter cushions for comfort, and throw blankets for warmth.  

‘So light, warm and welcoming.’ 

Preservation or Enhancement of the Local Built Environment 

Sir Basil Spence, revered for people centered approach to connecting buildings and landscapes, designed our 10-acre estate. Refurbishment retained style and scalability, and extended Spence’s vision through community leadership to enhance purpose in supporting social contact and wellbeing. Connecting landscape and nature, large cafe windows overlook the upgraded pond and greenspace.    

Achievements 

Local life expectancy is higher than national average, yet people with long term health issues is the 4th highest in Scotland. Data shows widening gaps between life expectancy and healthy ageing. We’re closing this gap for those like Jack and his group of male friends meeting in the cafe daily to share an affordable meal and social interaction; and disabled resident George telling us that the community hub and cafe are a lifeline for him, enabling him to pop in and interact with others, opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise exist. We have many similar examples.  

We're responding to needs in ageing as reflected in local and national strategy including - East Renfrewshire Council ‘A Place to Grow’, Scottish Government 20-Minute Neighbourhoods, and WHO Decade of Healthy Ageing.  

Ongoing project success has contributed to estate masterplanning, led by ABC Architects in January 2026, and is paving the way to create and exemplar blueprint of inclusivity in ageing. We’re collaborating with academics from Heriot-Watt, Edinburgh and Stirling Universities, enabling responsiveness to emerging research addressing exclusion and inclusivity in health and ageing.