NPA Painting and Decorating Students Lend Their Skills to Historic Glasgow Church

Students from City of Glasgow College's NPA Painting and Decorating class have been putting their skills to good use in the community, completing a decorating project at Govan & Linthouse Parish Church on Govan Road.

The group, led by lecturer Alan Henderson, carried out a significant programme of decorating work at the historic church, a building over 150 years old, gaining hands-on experience that presented its own unique challenges and learning opportunities well beyond the everyday classroom setting.

The work drew warm praise from the church community. Fabric Convener Fiona MacDonald wrote to the College's Principal and Associate Dean of Built Environment to express her appreciation, describing the students and their lecturer as "a credit to the City of Glasgow College." A handwritten card from the congregation echoed that sentiment, telling Alan and the team: the work was greatly appreciated, and that the experience of working in such a storied building would serve the students well throughout their future careers.

The church extended an open invitation to welcome future student groups, underlining the strong relationship built between the College and this local community organisation over the course of the project.

For the students, the placement offered exactly the kind of real-world, vocational experience that City of Glasgow College prides itself on providing; applying their craft in a live, functioning environment and leaving behind work that the whole congregation can enjoy for years to come.

Associate Dean of Built Environment Tobian Forster said: "It's always a delight to get involved in local projects like this, that provide not only benefits to our close community but also valuable experience for our students. My thanks go out to Govan & Linthouse Parish Church for warmly welcoming us in, as well as the members of our team who continue to make great projects like this happen."

Alan Henderson added: “It was incredibly rewarding to see our students giving back to the community while gaining practical experience that will prepare them for their future careers.”