Family behind standout Scottish motorway services offering £2,500 community grants
“This fund is about supporting the communities that are closest to us and helping local organisations make a lasting difference” – Donna Hood
A community fund has been launched by the family behind some of the UK’s most highly-rated motorway services to support grassroots projects across parts of South Lanarkshire.
The Cairn Lodge Community Fund will provide grants of up to £2,500 to community groups in Douglas, Coalburn, Rigside, Lesmahagow, Blackwood, Kirkmuirhill and Lanark.
Westmorland Farmshop & Co, the family business behind Tebay Services, Gloucester Services and Cairn Lodge, began in 1972 on the Dunning family farm in Cumbria. Cairn Lodge Services itself was established in the early 1990s by entrepreneurs John and Aileen MacInnes, beside the historic Cairn Lodge gatehouse next to the M74 near Douglas.
Now part of the Westmorland Farmshop family, Cairn Lodge shares in the group’s “proper food” philosophy - championing locally sourced, homemade food and supporting independent food and drink producers. It has helped build a national reputation for a different kind of motorway services, with Tebay, Gloucester and Cairn Lodge all named among the UK’s top service stations by Which? in 2025.
The new fund has been established to support the communities where many colleagues at Cairn Lodge motorway services live and work. Priority will be given to initiatives that support young people, improve mental health and wellbeing, and strengthen local communities. Projects linked to sustainable development, as well as those that celebrate local produce, farming and craft, are also encouraged.
Donna Hood, operations manager at Cairn Lodge, said: “This fund is about supporting the communities that are closest to us and helping local organisations make a lasting difference. We know there are so many passionate people and groups doing important work across these areas, and we want to help them grow their impact over time.
“It’s not just about providing funding - it’s about building relationships and working together to strengthen these communities for the future.”
The fund will be open to a wide range of community-led organisations, including those supporting young people, managing local facilities such as community halls or youth clubs, or delivering essential local services. Applications are now open, with grants typically available up to £2,500.
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