Building team are real stars for helping us
Workers will fix charity hub for free
A lifeline Paisley charity has been left overwhelmed after kind-hearted contractors signed up to do thousands of pounds of work for free after its building was damaged in a fire.
Staff at the much-loved Star Project have said they are “beyond grateful” to generous workers who have offered to help them transform their building following the electrical fire in February.
A faulty fuse box caught fire while the building was closed, but was thankfully discovered by a cleaner who quickly dialled 999 before it could cause too much damage.
However, the charity, which helps support thousands of people throughout Paisley every year, was still forced to close the Wallace Street office due to the damage, and faced a hefty bill to fix the building.
After being quoted upwards of £4,000 for the work, staff were left devastated as the high costs meant they would be unable to afford it.
Heather Kay, activities coordinator at Star, told the Express: “We wanted to get the place freshened up a bit following the fire as we have been unable to get access for a few months.
“We started to ask about for quotes to get the work done, but we quickly realised that it was not going to be cheap and we just simply could not afford it.”
But, just when the team was about to give up, Johnstone painter and decorator Kevin Houston stepped in and offered to complete the mammoth painting job free of charge.
Kevin then enlisted help from Kenny Anderson at M McLaughlan Glaziers in the town, who offered to tackle the building work and even got Colin Carlyle at Dulux on board to provide the paint and materials for free too.
Kevin told the Express: “I didn’t know much about the Star Project before they got in touch.
“When I got chatting to them, I realised how much they give back to the community.
“I believe that the gift is in the giving and, when I saw all the work they do for folk in the community, I realised the money they would be spending on getting this work done could go back into all the great work they do.
“They were telling me they are
We are overwhelmed with these generous offers - it has humbled us people like Kevin, Colin and Kenny want to help
hoping to do other building work and it got me thinking that I know lots of people, so I got in touch with Kenny and Colin and got them on board too, which is great.”
Kenny, who took over the Paisleybased glaziers company three and a half years ago, is also delighted to be helping a lifeline community project.
He added: “Kevin contacted me to tell me that they were looking to get this work done and he told me about the charity.
“We decided it would be great to help out such a good cause and take on the work as a freebie.”
The team at Star is “over the moon” to finally be sprucing up the beloved building in the heart of Paisley.
The decades-old charity has been working remotely since the beginning of the covid pandemic in March last year and now can’t wait to welcome people back into the much-loved building after a tough year.
Having been set up in 1999, the Star Project has helped more than 5,000 people in its time.
Over the years, there has also been a catalogue of thriving projects, including creative and therapeutic workshops, antipoverty initiatives, parent and toddler groups, community art and befriending services.
The pandemic saw staff replace their usually bustling hub with online workshops, meetings and ‘digital drop in’ Zoom calls.
They have continued to operate vital services, such as the Community Fridge, Chin Up, Paisley Men’s Shed and Tuesday
Group - which supports parents with young children - throughout the pandemic.
Heather added: “We are overwhelmed with these exceptionally generous offers.
“The cheapest quote we received for painting the building was over £4,000 and there was no way we could have afforded that.
“It’s been such a long time since we’ve been able to paint the building that we can’t wait to see how fresh it will look when it’s completed, all ready for our incredible community members to join us again.
“After one of the hardest years we, or anyone else, has experienced, it has just humbled us that people like Kevin, Colin and Kenny are prepared to donate so much.
“It is completely unexpected and we’re beyond grateful.
“To us, they are all superheroes, and their donations will ensure, when it’s safe to do so, our community members can come back into a bright, fresh building with much more space.”