A collaborative effort between Harthill Eastfield and Greenrigg (HEG) Community Fund, Harthill Village Association, and Spotlight Shotts resulted in securing funding and resources for two full-day community engagement events in Harthill and Shotts.

A priority is to raise awareness and promote engagement within Shotts Community Board and the specific LOIP priority subgroups. It is also to ensure local people are active participants and are engaged within North Lanarkshire Partnership decision making structures. Through positive relationships with community organisations there was a need identified to promote effective communication and information sharing structures. This has been a need also highlighted through the Community Engagement LOIP subgroup.

Over 300 local people attended both community engagement events. A range of information stalls from partner agencies to local community groups were present. Positive outcomes for people included raised awareness of what community groups were delivering locally, detailed advice and further appointments made on maximising benefits, raised awareness of safety in the home environment, support to encourage council tenants to engage in wider support services and promotion, information and discussion on how local people could get involved in the community board and local decision making structures. This led to an increased membership of the Shotts Community Board.