The JR Group has provided £7,500 in community benefits to three Dumbarton organisations linked to its ongoing Bank Street development.

The support will help Alexandria Community Council, Routes Young Persons Project and Lomond Food Pantry continue their vital work with people across the area.

Alexandria Community Council received £1,500 towards the delivery of community services and programmes for residents.

Routes Young Persons Project was awarded £3,000. The charity supports 13- to 26-year-olds from households affected by alcoholism, drug addiction or drug dealing and will ring-fence the funds to provide Christmas presents for young people this year.

A further £3,000 went to Lomond Food Pantry to assist local people experiencing food poverty.

The Bank Street scheme, being delivered for West Dunbartonshire Council, will transform the former medical centre into a purpose-built sheltered housing complex of 22 one-bedroom flats with a communal room and staff facilities. Completion is expected in 2027, providing high-quality homes designed to help older people live independently.

The recipient organisations were chosen in partnership with West Dunbartonshire Council, prioritising locally based groups that offer much-needed services to nearby communities.

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Euan McKendrick, Procurement and Communications Manager, at The JR Group, said: "It is great to be able to support these three fantastic local organisations and the important work they do within the Dumbarton community.

"As part of our Bank Street development, we aim to deliver tangible community benefits alongside the construction project, and these donations will make a real difference to people living in the local area.

"Each of these organisations provides vital support to those who need it most, and we are pleased that our contribution can help them continue the work they do."

Tilda McCrimmon, Vice Chair of Alexandria Community Council, said: "Alexandria Community Council is delighted with The JR group donation, and are considering the best way to use the funds to support our work in Alexandria".

Pam Burns, Senior Family Support Development Officer at Routes Young Persons Project, said: "Being able to provide individual Christmas presents for each and every young person we support is extremely exciting. We often rely on present donations, and it doesn't always reflect the young person interests. We know what the young people love and to be able to buy them an individual gift they will enjoy will make their Christmas."

Councillor Hazel Sorrell, Chair of the Lomond Community Pantry, said: "The pantry has been open since October 2024 and is well used in the Lomond and Leven areas. It was set up as a local community shop. Helping our most vulnerable and poorest in our area. Pantry users can come in and get 10 items of shopping for £4 and there are also a variety of free items, including bread, fruit and veg donated from a local shop. This is a genuine lifeline for some in our community.

"The Pantry is open on a Thursday and Friday. We have expanded our activities by hosting a gardening group on a Wednesday where we have been growing veg and a craft club on a Sunday. We are hoping to be able to offer a warm space to those who need it through the coming winter.

"All this is delivered by a small team of volunteers, including the Church of Scotland and Haldane Tenants and Resident's Association. None of this would be possible without the generous support of companies and local businesses like The JR Group."

These contributions form part of The JR Group's wider commitment to ensuring its developments create a positive and lasting impact in the communities where it operates.