SMILE Children’s Charity supports families of children with disabilities and serious illness and have received a £500 boost from Lanarkshire-based Ailsa Building Contractors.

Providing inclusive activities, sensory support and vital wellbeing services, SMILE aims to reduce isolation and improve quality of life for both children and their carers.

The charity helps more than 500 families each year through creating safe, inclusive spaces where children can play, families can connect and carers can access much-needed support.

Wendy Meek, CEO and co-founder of SMILE Children’s Charity, said: “The generous donation from Ailsa Builders will allow us to continue facilitating our play activities for SMILE families, such as our inclusive circus and pantomime visits, and will ensure that we can continue to offer our families these amazing events for free.”

Lorraine Redmond, of Ailsa Building Contractors, said that the company had been delighted to have the chance to support SMILE through the council’s Community Benefits Hub.

She added: “As a local contractor, we recognise the importance of giving back to the communities we work in, and we hope this donation helps the charity continue its valuable support for children and families across Lanarkshire.”

The Community Benefits Hub is supported by the council’s Community Engagement Team and is a new online service that connects community groups with businesses across the Glasgow City Region.

Community groups can ask for goods, services or support that will help their local community, and businesses working with councils and partner organisations across the region can then choose requests they are able to support.

Chair of the council's Finance and Corporate Resources Committee, Councillor Mo Razzaq, said: “This is a perfect example of the Community Wish List and the benefits it can bring to local communities and organisations.

“I would like to thank Ailsa Building Contractors and all of the other companies who so generously donated time, money and resources, and look forward to seeing the benefits that this particular donation will bring to SMILE.”

SMILE Children’s Charity had, in April this year, also been supported with a Community Asset Transfer by the council of the former Canderavon Care Home, in Stonehouse, which had lain empty for more than two years.

This enabled the charity to start work to develop the property into a dedicated respite house, sensory-play and wellbeing centre, and community-led hub to provide support for young people across South Lanarkshire suffering from complex needs, and for their families.

Local community groups can submit a request to the Community Benefits Hub. To find out more, go to the council website, send an email or call 0303 123 1017.