Giffnock United Reformed Church

Giffnock United Reformed Church is situated in Giffnock, a dormitory suburb lying about 6 miles to the south-west of Glasgow. The A77 route from Glasgow meeting the M77 route to Kilmarnock and on to the Ayrshire coast runs through the centre of the area. It has the advantage of lying within easy access of Glasgow considered to be the best shopping centre in Scotland and within a 30 – 40 minute drive from the west coast.

Public transport is easily available with a 30 minute train service, a 10 -15 minute bus service north to Glasgow city centre and a half hour bus service to Prestwick and Ayr to the south west.

Housing in the older part of the area consists mainly of large villas whilst other parts have mainly bungalows and more recently luxury and retirement flats have been built.
The demography of Giffnock has changed over the last twenty years so that the area is now multi-cultural with many faiths represented. The local council of East Renfrewshire is committed to multiculturism and inter-faiths dialogue. A significant proportion of the population is retired and elderly and there are a number of sheltered housing complexes and residential retirement homes within the area.

The area is served locally by two nursery schools, three primary schools, two non-denominational and one Roman Catholic, and three secondary schools, two non-denominational and one Roman Catholic. The Parents’ Charter allows a choice of schools and there are a number of other schools within relatively easy reach if parents wish to send children to one of these. All the schools provide good quality education. The authority also runs a Saturday morning music school for pupils, as well as evening and day classes for adults offering an extensive range of subjects.

Giffnock is reasonably well served by a variety of shops, including a supermarket, and has a number of eating places. Larger shopping centres and supermarkets are within two or three miles. There is a small theatre seating 300, at present being refurbished, a swimming pool, gymnasium and a library – all run by the council – and many private clubs including a leisure centre, bowling greens, tennis and squash clubs.
There are a number of private golf clubs and one public golf course within easy reach on the outskirts of Giffnock.

The area is seen as a relatively quiet and pleasant place to live and appears to have fewer problems than are experienced elsewhere.