The Merchants House of Glasgow is the oldest social enterprise
in the city and raises significant funds to help those most in need
across Glasgow and the West. Historically, our members have had
careers in banking, law, financial services and business, so I'm
sure that many people working within the IFSD will have attended
conferences, meetings, events and weddings within The Merchants
House or admired the beautiful stained-glass windows as they pass
on route to George Square.
The building itself is spectacular, with its marble staircase
and stunning interiors but it was the purpose of the House I was
drawn to and why I decided to become a member 17 years ago. Having
built a successful business, I wanted to give something back to the
people in this wonderful city of ours and I found no better way to
do this than to be involved with a charity like the Merchants
House.
When I first heard about The Merchants House, I thought it was
something of an 'Old Boys Club. However, I soon discovered that
wasn't true and it proved to me the need to always keep an open
mind and explore all opportunities that come my way. I'm very glad
I did challenge that perception as, over the years, I have made
some very good friends and extended my business network through my
involvement with the House.
I now have the honour of being the Lord Dean, the first female
to hold this position in the 400-year history of Merchants House
and I hope to encourage others to learn more about our charity and
how they can get involved.
The benefits of membership of The Merchants House are
two-fold. Members make a commitment to regularly donate to
our charity and enjoy the rewarding feeling of making a tangible
difference to the lives of others. The House also runs a number of
business and social events throughout the year, including breakfast
meetings, the members dinner, the mulled wine concert at Christmas
and in 2023 we will support The Doddie Weir Foundation within our
members dinner.
There are many ways to support the Merchants House, including
spreading the word about our grant funding, or perhaps you could
enquire about venue hire for your next meeting or event?
As a not-for-profit charity, all sums raised from venue hire go
towards funding our grants programme. You can read the case studies
on our website with recipients including Ronald McDonald House,
Cerebral Palsy Scotland, Richmond's Hope, Renfrew YMCA, Finding
Your Feet and Supporting Huntington's Disease.
Visiting the charities, such as The Govan Pantry and Young
Enterprise Scotland, I am very moved by the commitment of staff and
volunteers who work incredibly hard to help individuals and their
communities. It is always a pleasure to learn more about their
work. Eye opening and diverse, the causes supported range from
counselling sessions for bereaved children to helping older people
battle loneliness, to community arts projects and food banks.
The House was founded in 1605 and whilst times have changed
significantly, it's work is still as relevant and needed today as
it was all those years ago.
Learn more by visiting https://merchantshouse.org.uk/
Keep up to date with all the business and community news from
Glasgow's IFSD by subscribing to our monthly
e-newsletter or connecting on LinkedIn
and twitter.#IFSD