Castlemilk Supermarket Campaign takes top Housing Award

Castlemilk supermarket campaign takes top housing award

The ongoing campaign to secure a supermarket for the Castlemilk community in south Glasgow has been recognised with a prestigious housing award.

The Castlemilk Housing and Human Rights Lived Experience Board won the Community Impact Award at the Share National Housing Awards for their work in trying to attract a store to the area.

Share is a leading provider of learning and professional development resources for the housing and property sectors.

The Board have been battling for a supermarket to serve their 14,000 strong community for more than three years. It was set up by Ardenglen, Craigdale, Cassiltoun and North View Housing Associations to promote housing as a human right and what that means for people’s everyday lives living in the area. 

Chair of the Board, Anna Stuart MBE said: ‘It has been accepted by the United Nations that our community has the right to fresh, affordable nutritious food, a right that we are currently being denied. This award is further confirmation of the need for a supermarket locally and this is something we will not stop working towards until we secure one.’

The right to good quality, affordable food is set out in Article 11 of the UN Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Over the course of their campaign they have had a submission accepted by the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Geneva and had an Early Day Motion Debate in the House of Commons about the issue. The group have also secured extensive media coverage around the issue.

‘We have petitioned everyone from our local MP and MSPs to the Scottish Human Rights Commissioner and have built up real momentum to try and give our communities access to the quality of food they deserve, this award is just another small step to achieving our goal,’ added Anna.

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Picture shows: The Castlemilk Housing and Human Rights Board celebrate after winning their award