Today marks the 30th anniversary of The National Lottery and we’re sharing our celebrations with Whitlawburn Community Resource Centre in Glasgow.

A cherished and vital institution, the centre, formerly known as The Bonus Ball Centre, was one of the first projects funded by The National Lottery. Since its inception in 1995, it has supported thousands of local people to find friendship, stay healthy and get support during times of financial hardship.

Back in 1995 Whitlawburn was struggling with rundown housing, vandalism, and a lack of community spaces to bring people together. A group of residents, led by Philip Welsh MBE, secured £804,437 to transform a disused primary school into a community hub. Philip’s son, Phil Welsh, now continues his father’s legacy, volunteering and fundraising to keep the centre running.

“As a young man of 26 I wasn’t much interested in the centre at the time, but I enjoyed seeing my father dressed up as a clown at gala days or in the stocks getting pelted with wet sponges. He was always the first to volunteer for things like that. 

“It was a few years after my father passed away when I was sorting through some of his things, that I came across something he’d written about west Whitlawburn. Whether it was a sign or not I don’t know, but as I read I felt the passion in his words when he was writing about the way the community has changed because of the resource centre. I immediately felt inspired to get involved.” 

Phil now organises fundraising events like kilt walks to keep the centre going. He explained: “I take after my father in that I’ll do any stupid thing to raise money for the community. My father used to play Santa at our Christmas celebrations, handing out gifts to the kids—and now, that’s my role. This centre has supported my family so much over the years, and I’m grateful for the chance to give back that support now.”

Thirty years on, Whitlawburn Community Resource Centre remains a cornerstone of the community. Thanks to a recent £143,168 grant from The National Lottery Community Fund, the centre is expanding its offerings to include initiatives like a community fridge, digital access support, and family assistance programs like school uniform recycling.

Phil said: “Whitlawburn without the community centre just wouldn’t be the same. We won the jackpot big time when we got the funding for the building and it’s paid back in buckets. Living in a tower block can be very isolating, but at the resource centre people can sit down for a coffee, and enjoy a wee chat with their neighbours. For some people it’s the highlight of their week.”  

For Phil, the centre’s continued success is a testament to his father’s vision and the power of collective effort.

“If my father was alive now I don’t think he’d expect it to have been going for this long. He’d be so proud to see how much the centre has grown in the three decades and how it’s still a vital part of the community”. 

As we celebrate 30 years of The National Lottery, Whitlawburn Community Resource Centre stands as a testament of what can be achieved when a community comes together with passion and purpose. Here’s to another 30 years!