FROM green-fingered gardeners and clean-up kings and queens to inspirational businesses and sensational schools, our Streets Ahead awards winners are an amazing bunch.

The Winter Gardens at the People’s Palace sparkled in the summer sunshine earlier this month when we honoured the men, women and children who make Glasgow a better place for us all.

Organised by Clean Glasgow, the event – supported by our other campaign partners ScotRail, Glasgow Housing Association, Scottish Fire and Rescue and City Charitable Trust – was a huge success.

Over the next few pages, we pay tribute to all our wonderful winners and runners-up, starting with overall champions South Seeds, who also topped the Best Community Initiative category on the night.

OVERALL CHAMPIONS AND BEST COMMUNITY INITIATIVE WINNER– SOUTH SEEDS

South Seeds is the perfect example of a Streets Ahead project – which is why the judges were delighted to declare it Best Community Initiative and the overall winner on the night.

This incredible south side initiative has put the heartbeat back into the communities it supports, bringing neighbours together and transforming abandoned wasteland into beautiful, vibrant gardens.

“South Seeds started because a group of residents wanted to make things better in their community,” explains project officer Louis Kitchen.

“They knocked on doors, brought people together and started planting.”

Robin Ashton was one of the original volunteers.

“It’s been amazing to watch it grow and it’s great to think that we are making a difference to people’s lives,” says Robin.

South Seeds works across the south side, in Govanhill, Queen’s Park, Strathbungo, Crosshill and East Pollokshields, an approximate population of around 20,000.

“We’re privileged to work in areas of huge diversity, delivering support to people of all backgrounds,” adds operations officer Lisa Peebles.

The organisation’s first projects were community gardens, built by local people on ground abandoned and plagued by flytipping and antisocial behaviour. Now these spaces are beautiful, and South Seeds has expanded its services to include energy efficiency and advice on food growing and reducing food waste.

“The garden at Queen’s Drive Lane is a good example of a space now contributing to the wellbeing of the community, rather than detracting from it,” says Lisa.

“We have bespoke composting services here now, and that’s a way of helping people get involved in our energy efficiency service, and helping them understand how to reduce food waste.”

She adds: “Our gardens act as catalysts for communities to come together, bringing people closer ad encouraging them to work collaboratively on other issues for the benefit of everyone.”

South Seeds sites range from small ones with just a couple of raised beds, to large gardens suitable for big community events. Their latest project is at the Croft on the edge of Queen’s Park recreational ground, where they plan to provide growing sessions for up to 20 local people every year.

Project manager Lucy Gillie added: “South Seeds began because local people were passionate about improving their community. Most residents live in Victorian tenements, with little or no garden space, so this has really inspired them to get involved.”

Energy officer Casey Dickson said the group was ‘shocked’ to win the overall award.

“There are so many great groups here, we didn’t expect to win at all,” he smiles.

“We’re pleased that so many people in our community support us and it’s great to be part of Streets Ahead.”

BEST COMMUNITY INITIATIVE

RUNNERS-UP: SOUTHERN NECROPOLIS ACTION GROUP / NORTH GLASGOW COMMUNITY FOOD INITIATIVE

In one of the most fiercely fought categories, SNAG – Southern Necropolis Action Group and North Glasgow Community Food Initiative narrowly missed out on being crowned winners.

The former is a small group of dedicated residents determined to revive one of Glasgow’s most important historical sites.

Slowly but surely they are preserving the environmental, ecological, historical and educational assets of the Souther Necropolis through regular litter picks and weeding, running a heritage trail, organising community events for families and working with local schools.

Southern Necropolis Action Group chairman Colin Mackie said: “We’re chuffed to bits to be here tonight. We’ve been getting so much positive feedback about our work. It has really encouraged folk to value the history of the space.”

North Glasgow Community Food Initiative, which was set up in 2001, works across the north of the city, on a variety of projects including growing and selling fruit and vegetables, cooking and nutrition skills and social campaigning on food poverty and health inequalities.

It has made the communities it works in – including Milton, Royston, Springburn, Maryhill and Possilpark – healthier and happier.