​It is the only airport in Scotland to offer communities in its flight path funding to support hundreds of projects

It was only an award of £4,000 but for Ethel Turner the cash transformed her music charity from an unknown entity to a community champion.

The East Dunbartonshire group gives grants to children from low income families enabling them to take part in school orchestras by purchasing their musical instruments of choice, a cause that was recently recognised with a local Heart of Gold Award.

It’s all thanks to a little known fund which, for the past five years, has been helping community groups located around the flight path of Glasgow Airport with small but vital amounts of cash to help them flourish.

Since its inception, the fund has given over £1 million worth of donations to more than 350 charities and community groups in Renfrewshire, Glasgow and East and West Dunbartonshire with a focus on improving education and employment, as well as the environment.

Ethel's charity, Playing Proud, is just one of the many to be on the receiving end of a grant and has been transformed the lives of many young people as a result.

"Many who would never have considered playing a musical inturment now do and has become a hobby for them," she said. "They've met new friends and many are on the way to becoming accomplished musicians. It has given them real focus."

It’s a classic example of how a local employer can give back to the community and the Flight Fund is promising to expand this programme of support to more community groups than ever before.

While Glasgow may not be the worst airport in terms of disruption – strict noise abatement rules and flying hours’ curfews have been in place for years – its managers realise the impact it has on the environment as well as the surrounding communities.

But more than this, the airport, which is Scotland’s busiest in terms of long haul flights, sees itself as an integral part of the community and wants to increase its stature as a socially responsible local employer.

The FlightPath Fund committee operates independently of the airport and is chaired by former KPMG senior partner, Archie Hunter.

It meets every two months and also consists of an elected member or representative from each of the four council areas under the flight path.

At a celebration event in Bearsden last week Hunter called its approach “unique”.

“It is inspiring to see how it has evolved over the past five years,” he said. “It has been very encouraging to hear from some of the groups who have benefitted from the fund since its inception.

“Listening to representatives of these organisations speak passionately about the work they do makes us even more determined to continue supporting our communities.

“The monetary support of Glasgow Airport to its communities is unparalleled in this country and the whole committee looks forward to making this worth even more for worthwhile causes.”

Ocean Youth Trust Scotland - a leading youth work development charity which delivers an annual programme of residential sail training voyages for young people – echoes that sentiment.

It received £8,500 from the FlightPath Fund in September this year and said the cash is being used, quite literally, to transform lives.

Chief executive, Nick Fleming, gave an example of how the cash was put to good use and said small amounts of cash can make a huge impact.

“Our voyages offer young people a truly unique and life changing opportunity,” he said.

“Two voyages, supported by the FlightPath Fund, saw students from Drumchapel High School embark on a week-long voyage in September and a group of young people from Renfrewshire Children’s Home in October.

“Both voyages were full of learning and self-discovery. Each group had a truly fantastic experience, and managed to achieve things they never imagined they were capable of - changing their outlook on what the future could hold.”

Managing director of Glasgow Airport, Amanda McMillan, said the fund was set up to ensure that the local communities around the airport share in its success. T

And the fact that it has now surpassed £1 million is testament to the huge amount of energy and enthusiasm that the independent committee puts into operating and managing the fund.

“Five years ago we had no idea how well the fund would be received or how many lives it would touch,” said McMillan.

“The committee has helped to shape its fortunes, making the fund the excellent and reputed resource it is today.”

In addition to being Scotland’s largest charter hub, Glasgow Airport serves more Scottish destinations than any other airport.

Supporting over 7,300 jobs across Scotland, it makes the largest contribution of any airport to Scotland’s economy, generating hundreds of millions of pounds each year.

Bearsden resident and chair of the local Rotary Club Libby Clark said more large employers should be willing to increase their involvement with the communities they profit from.

She said that that the planes caused minor inconvenience but this was being addressed by the fact the airport was willing to work with the people most affected.

“It’s not a huge amount of money but can provide a crucial difference to small community groups who are desperate for support,” she said. “Other employers in local areas should be doing more of this.

It's not about taking the money and running. Businesses need to wake up to the fact that it makes sound commercial sense to support the communities in which they work and profit from.”