Scottish Friendly volunteers support Action for Children’s Loom Walk service for the third year running

Colleagues from Scottish Friendly volunteered their time to support Action for Children’s Renfrewshire Short Breaks Service in Kilbarchan, continuing the society’s commitment to supporting children and families in the local community.

The volunteering day took place during UK Mental Health Awareness Week, highlighting the importance of supportive environments and strong communities for children, families and carers. Services like Loom Walk play a vital role in promoting wellbeing, offering structured support for young people with additional needs and respite for their families.

During the volunteering day, colleagues took part in a range of indoor and outdoor activities, including painting and decorating communal areas and bedrooms, tidying and refreshing garden spaces, and general maintenance tasks to help keep the centre welcoming and fit for purpose. All work was completed in collaboration with on‑site staff to ensure it continues to meet the needs of the service and the children who use it.

The improvements help maintain a positive, stimulating environment that supports the wellbeing and development of the young people attending Loom Walk, many of whom rely on the service regularly throughout the year.

Cheryl Love, Test Analyst at Scottish Friendly, said:
“It was really rewarding to spend the day volunteering at Loom Walk and to see first‑hand the difference this service makes. Working together as a team to improve the space felt meaningful, knowing it directly benefits children, young people and families in our local community.”

Fiona Steel – National Director for Scotland at Action for Children, said:

“Scottish Friendly is one of our closest partners with such an authentic connection and understanding to the impact of our work. They continue to be totally committed in their effort to contribute positively to the lives of children and young people.”

“Through their support at a national level as well as hand-on at services like Renfrewshire Short Breaks their team show such care and dedication to helping make our work possible. It’s with a huge debt of gratitude that I thank the whole team for continuing to take action for the families we support.”

This volunteering day forms part of Scottish Friendly’s wider commitment to community engagement and social impact, encouraging colleagues to use their skills and time to support organisations making a positive difference locally.

Action for Children works across the UK to support children and families facing a wide range of challenges. In 2024/25, the charity took action to support 551,400 children, young people and families across the UK through 342 essential services focused on wellbeing, mental health and family resilience. We are proud to support Action for Children, and their mission.