Our Story
We exist to bring people together through food, creativity and shared experiences — creating a welcoming space for marginalised voices and cultures to meet & belong.
Through food, connecting with the outdoors, movement and creative activity, we create opportunities for learning, collaboration and togetherness.
We are at the start of our journey and are intentionally building this space with the people who use it.
We welcome collaborating, ideas and anyone who shares our vision to connect communities through good food.
Cafe
Our café is the heart of Gathering Ground — a welcoming place where people meet, share good food and relax.
Events
Our programme of events and workshops creates space for people to learn, create and experience different cultures and practises together.
Volunteering
Volunteering allows people to take part in actively shaping the space, building relationships and become part of the community.
Projects
Our projects are where we create impact. These are focused on supporting marginalised people groups and helping them thrive.
Food Connects
Food sits at the centre of everything we do because it is something we all share.
Whether we are growing, cooking or eating together, food creates meaningful moments of connection, learning and sharing.
In Hamiltonhill — an area affected by food poverty — we see food not just as nourishment, but as a way to build resilience, dignity and a better future.
By connecting people to growing food in an urban environment, we celebrate transformation, understanding where food comes from, and the joy of sharing it with others.
Food allows us to explore culture, tell stories and learn from one another. Good growing and cooking practices support not only our own health, but the wellbeing of our community and the wider environment.
We love food and the journeys it opens up for us.
Our Values
Community Care
We look after one another. Creating a space where people feel supported, valued and welcomed.
A Better Tomorrow
We care for the environment by supporting responsible growing, ethical sourcing and practices that protect our future.
Creativity
We celebrate the joy of imagination, making and expression as a way for people to explore, connect and learn.
Inclusion
We actively listen to and uplift marginalised voices, ensuring our space is open, respectful and shaped collectively.
Old Basin House & the Birth of Gathering Ground
Gathering Ground was born out of both a need and an opportunity.
Old Basin House was Originally built in the 1790s. This small square of Glasgow has always been a place of movement, meeting and exchange.
As the historic terminus of the canal, it once connected people, goods and stories from across Scotland. After decades of changing uses and years standing empty following a fire in 1997, the building was brought back to life through the support of Regeneration Capital Grant Funding and Historic Scotland.
Given the identity of the building within the community. Creating a shared space where people could come together around food, culture and everyday connection seemed right for the space. The building carries many local memories & stories and is now accessible to create new ones.
We see more than a restored building — we see the chance to create something new for the community. Moving into Old Basin House has turned a historic space into a living one again.
Many people are initially drawn here by the beauty and history of the building, but its real purpose is what happens inside and around it. As it once connected communities through the canal, Old Basin House is again becoming a place where people meet, gather and build something together.
