Tam Munro passed away peacefully on Saturday 13 January 2024 aged 80 years old.

This is a tribute to Tam and his achievements as part of Glasgow Eco Trust and the wider community in west Glasgow.

Tam was one of our founding and current Trustees as well as being our Chairperson from 2007 to 2022. He was a leader, a mentor and a friend and he will be sorely missed.

Tam was a passionate and tireless community activist who championed communities and the voluntary sector in west Glasgow and across the City. He worked hard to improve the quality of life for all people in the local area.

Following a varied career including as a merchant seaman and in the Clyde shipyards he became the manager of Peterson Park Halls in Yoker. In this role Tam became involved in the Dumbarton Road Corridor Small Area Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP). The SIP had establised a very active Community Forum and a range of thematic working groups including an Envirnoment and Image working group.

This working group undertook a comprehensive community engagement process which led to the publication of the Yoker, Scotstoun and Whiteinch Environmental Vision in December 2002. One of the recommendations of the Vision was the establishment of two Trusts - one to look at the built environment and buildings and the other to look at education and behaviour change. In the end only one Trust was establised - Dumbarton Road Corridor Environment Trust (DRCET) in September 2004. Tam was one of the founding trustees of DRCET along with Sandy Urquhart, Andrew Reid, Sandy Busby and Sean Culpan.

Photo 1: Tam at a community consultation event at Peterson Park in 2002

Early in the development of DRCET, Glasgow City Council approached the Trustees to ask them to get involved with the development of a new community facility in the Scotstoun area following the closure of Victoria Drive Secondary School. DRCET trustees accepted the challenge and the journey to building the Heart of Scotstoun Community Centre began.

In 2007 following local government re-organisation Glasgow Community Planning Partnership was established, which also led to the SIP and the Community Forum being wound up. As a result Sandy Urquhart stood down as chair and Tam step forward and remained as Chair up to December 2022.

Heart of Scotstoun Community Centre has been our most significant project to date and Tam was instrumental in navigating the complexities of securing the initial funding to purchase the land, securing a cocktail of funding for the construction of the Centre and dealing with the actual construction process. The construciton took place over two of the worst winters on recent record from December 2009 to January 2011.

Photo 2: Tam along with the Heart of Scotstoun trustees, local Councillors and celebrity Gok Wan during a visit to the construction of Heart of Scotstoun in 2010

Heart of Scotstoun Community Centre was completed in Spring 2011 and the original plan was that the Centre would be handed over to Heart of Scotstoun Ltd within a year of completion. However, due to a whole range of different factors, this didn't happen as planned. Tam was then instrumental in leading and persevering with the process to handover the Centre which finally took place in Spring 2022 - almost 20 years since the Victoria Drive school closed.

 

Photo 3: Tam officially handing over the 'key' to the Heart of Scotstoun Communuity Centre in 2022

In addition to Glasgow Eco Trust and Heart of Scotstoun, Tam was involved in several other local organisations and initiatives including Yoker Resource Centre, Yoker Community Campus, DRC Youth Project, DRC Generations, Yoker Community Council, the Whiteinch Centre, the North West Glasgow Voluntary Sector Network and more. Tam served as a voluntary sector representative on the local area partnerships and the NW Community Planning Partnership for several years.

Tam will be sorely missed by many but we take great comfort in the fact that Tam leaves a significant legacy for the people and communities of Yoker and Scotstoun, across NW Glasgow and beyond that will continue to improve the lives of ordinary people for many years to come. Tam leaves a legacy of community spirit, wisdom and good humour which continues to inspire us.

Tam's passion for building a better community will continue to be a signpost in our work and hearts.This spirit of hope and collaboration will remain with us for the future, ensuring that Tam's legacy lives on in all we do.

We would like to say Rest In Peace Tam but based on your time on this earth there is probably not much chance of that - good luck with your continued activism in your new home!

Our thoughts are with all of Tam's family and friends at this difficult time.

Thank you Tam.

Tam's funeral will take place at 2:45pm on Monday 29 January 2024 at St Mark's Church, Kinfauns Drive, Drumchapel.