Upkeep was set up in 2005, as a subsidiary of Shettleston Housing Association (SHA), with Wider Role grant funding support from the Scottish Government. It’s original purpose was to deliver quality estate caretaking services to SHA tenants and to provide employment opportunities.

The company has grown substantially over the years and provides reactive, void and cyclical maintenance, estate caretaking, bulk uplift and landscaping, services to SHA and other neighbouring associations.

Upkeep is overseen by a volunteer board of mainly local folk. It now directly employs 49 staff including several trade apprentices. At a recent event to mark the anniversary, John Thomson, Upkeep’s head of operations, said: “Fundamental to Upkeep’s development has been our role as a provider of employment and training opportunities.

“The business has integrated the training and development of apprentices, work experience placements and those disadvantaged in the labour market into our business plan.

“Around 70% of all employees live in the local area and the wider east end. 60% of staff have more than five years’ service with the company and 45% have over 10 years’ service. Around 40% of current staff were referred through an employability support service.”

He also highlighted Upkeep’s role in “community wealth-building”. It has established a network of local suppliers and sub-contractors, helping to keep money generated in the East End of Glasgow.

Tony Teasdale, Shettleston Housing Group CEO, said: “We think Upkeep is a great example of a successful social enterprise focussed on the local community.

“We really benefit from the close working relationship and shared objectives across the respective staff teams. It enables us to better deliver on a range of our objectives including customer service and community impact through employability and sustainability.

“Through regular reviews we are able to ensure that Upkeep’s services represent good value for money to our tenants and other local residents. That has been the secret of its success for the last twenty years and we look forward to continuing to work together.”

He particularly commended Upkeep staff for their can-do attitude and their role during the Covid lock-down when its staff continued to deliver estate caretaking services to keep closes hygienically clean and maintain a good environment for tenants during a very difficult time.

Upkeep has always had a strong interest in sustainability issues and recycling and manages over 50,000m2 of common landscaped areas. The association sees it as a key player in the group’s objective to “Help make Shettleston a greener place”, particularly in relation to waste management and recycling in the area and through a more nature-focused approach to greenspace management.