We have started off this new year by putting our energy into supporting causes that algin with our practice ethos.

Our charitable fund, established in 2013 as part of our employee-ownership model, exists to share a percentage of our company profits with causes we’re passionate about supporting. Since its inception, we’ve contributed £24,750 to charitable giving, and this year we were proud to donate an additional £1,000 to charities whose work we admire and believe in.

The purpose of our charitable fund is to make a positive difference beyond our clients by:

• Supporting improvements in the built and social environment, particularly within our local communities
• Encouraging new ideas and initiatives in architecture that benefit the public
• Funding scholarships, apprenticeships, study trips, and charitable action that nurture new knowledge and skills in under-supported areas
• Supporting architectural and community-focused causes, including housing, homelessness, cultural projects, and conservation
• Ensuring all charitable activity reflects our values and ethos — turning our principles into meaningful action

Our £1,000 donation was shared between the following charities:

Women’s Aid works to support women, children, and young people affected by domestic abuse. Their services provide safety, advocacy, and long-term support, helping individuals rebuild their lives free from fear and harm. https://womensaid.scot/donate/

Shelter Scotland campaigns for housing justice and provides advice, support, and advocacy for people facing homelessness or poor housing conditions, working to ensure everyone has a safe and secure place to call home. https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/

Starter Packs Glasgow supports people transitioning out of homelessness by providing essential household items to help them set up a new home with dignity, stability, and hope for the future. http://starterpacks.org.uk/

SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) is a Scottish mental health charity doing vital work to improve mental health and wellbeing across the country. This year, they launched a campaign specifically supporting people working in the construction industry, ensuring those experiencing mental health challenges can now access free, confidential support. https://www.samh.org.uk/

If you’re able, we encourage you to consider supporting the important work they do.

Our future plan is to also commit to giving back through our time and skills, using our expertise to support causes we believe in. Our Board has agreed to dedicate time allocation towards charitable initiatives, with each employee able to contribute one paid day per year. Across the office, this represents a £15,000 annual commitment from the business in donated time.

We’re looking forward to sharing how this takes shape over the coming months!

Photo taken during our community engagement session led by Sculpture House for the development of our strategic and placemaking improvement works for Mitchell Way in Alexandria.