Glasgow's homeless face ‘going hungry' after cash blow to charity
The devastating blow comes after the organisation, which supports those dealing with financial hardship and struggling to keep a roof over their heads, missed out on a crucial tender to keep some of its much-needed services afloat.
One source told the Glasgow Times: 'This is heartbreaking for those coping with homelessness, so many people rely on being able to come into the café daily as it's often the only cooked meal they get.
'Everyone is gutted by the news around the contract, it means around 200 homeless people a day will miss out on getting breakfast, lunch or dinner. It will hit the most vulnerable incredibly hard and there's genuine concern about the impact this will have and how people will survive without this service.'
Our source added: 'The charity does fantastic work and even has a training kitchen to teach people the importance of eating a healthy nutritious meal, but now the funding is no longer in place, it's unable to operate.
'Staff and the people who come through the doors are in bits. This is a huge blow that nobody expected. Where will people turn to for help, especially with the number of people experiencing homelessness in the city rising year after year?'
(Image: NQ) The Marie Trust also provides dental health checks, laundry services and seven-day emergency food parcels to those experiencing financial hardship. It is unclear if these will be impacted by the changes.
A statement from the charity reads: 'We regret to inform you that we will no longer be offering our housing and welfare service or our training kitchen and café service after July 25.
'This change is due to the Wayfinder Outreach Services Contract, commissioned by Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership, which will commence on August 7. Unfortunately, we have been informed that the Marie Trust was unsuccessful in tendering for this.
'The trust will however continue to deliver our Hospital Outreach Service, counselling and psychotherapy and education service. We would like to thank all our service users, supporters and partners for all their support and trust over the years.'
READ NEXT: Theft from Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital sparks probe
It continues: 'We understand that this may impact those currently using our services, and we are committed to supporting individuals through this transition as best we can.'
A Glasgow man spoke to us about how he was able to transform his life after turning to the Marie Trust when he hit rock bottom.
He said: 'I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for the support, care and compassion shown to me. The charity basically brought me back from the brink and helped me to get back on my feet.
'It means so much to so many people. The work they do is invaluable and knowing that people will miss out on a hot meal because of these changes is soul destroying. So many vulnerable people could potentially slip through the net, and that is a major worry.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
10 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
How much did Glasgow City Council make from brown bin permits?
Data from a Freedom of Information request has revealed that 86,295 households across the city have paid the £50 charge to have their garden waste collected. Over the last two years, the local authority has pocketed £4,314,750 while paying out just £12,800 to residents who claimed for refunds. Now a Glasgow councillor is calling for more transparency over where the cash has gone since the charge was brought into effect in 2023. Drumchapel and Anniesland councillor Paul Carey BEM says that people are right to demand to know where their money has been invested. Paul Carey BEM (Image: supplied) He exclusively told the Glasgow Times: 'We were told when the permits were being rolled out that money generated would be reinvested in communities, so the question is what specifically has been done and where are future monies going? 'This was a new revenue stream, and we were told that the benefits would be seen across the city. This is a sizeable sum of money and Glaswegians who are paying this permit charge deserve to know exactly what has it been spent on? 'We're not just talking pennies this is a total that could make a huge difference to a lot of struggling services and tired community centres in many areas. There are so many parts of the city crying out for investment, so the council ought to be providing a breakdown of where it has gone. People want, and are right to expect, value for the money.' Bosses at Glasgow City Council sparked anger when they decided to introduce the charge across the city 21 months ago. The data shows that its first year, from October 1 to September 30 2024, the scheme brought in £2,031,600. The following 12 months it generated £2,283,150. Local authorities in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde also decided to hit households in the pocket for the kerbside collection of their garden refuse, but at a 20 per cent lower charge of £40 per address. READ NEXT: Shock Glasgow brown bin permit uptake is revealed by probe We previously told how residents in Whitburn Street in Carntyne were calling on local authority bosses to introduce a reduced rate for the elderly and vulnerable unable to afford the one-off fee. Ann Ayre, chair of the area's Winget Residents' Association, told the Glasgow Times that her members had decided to take a stand against the move – and called on senior citizens across the city to follow suit. Ann Ayre (Image: NQ) Ann said: 'A lot of pensioners don't have the cash to fork out for something that should be covered by their council tax. 'We need a payment plan to spread the cost, or better still axe the permit altogether. This is a charge on top of our council tax that, in my mind, can't be justified. People are struggling right now through a cost-of-living crisis, paying to have your grass cuttings taken away is unacceptable, especially at a time when some households are having to decide between energy bills or eating.' A one-off payment of £50 currently applies per brown bin, so if a household has two, the total cost is £100. Permits are provided within 21 days of purchase A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: 'As with all such schemes, the funds raised will be reinvested in council services. The council approved £2million per year from brown bin permit income as one of its budget options to balance the budget a couple of years ago. 'The council has to come up with a list of budget options every year, including income generating and cost-reducing options that are approved as part of the budget.' Councillor Carey added: 'The council's response to the question of where the money has specifically gone is just not transparent. 'It is time this money was ring-fenced and allocated to the type of community projects people care about instead of going into some budget black hole
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- The Herald Scotland
Historic city pub forced to close after ceiling collapses
The historic pub, which dates back to 1850, said that part of the ceiling collapsed due to water ingress. The incident, which took place while customers were inside the pub, resulted in one person being injured. READ MORE: Why the case for a 'Scottish visa' just got stronger Scotch whisky chief pays price as global turmoil hits industry Major business survey reveals 'standout' view on 'Scottish visa' Speaking to The Herald's sister title Glasgow Times, The Station Bar said: "Investigations have shown water leakage from above that wasn't visible, as it was a slow leak. "It may have been exacerbated by demolition nearby, as we had been feeling vibrations." The pub confirmed that it should reopen later this week: "It was a shock, completely unexpected, and definitely more drama than the norm for us. "We're normally just plodding silently in the back of the old pubs of the Glasgow scene. The boys started the repairs, so all is going well, and we should be reopening on Friday."
Glasgow Times
3 days ago
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow's homeless face ‘going hungry' after cash blow to charity
City centre-based The Marie Trust will no longer be able to offer crisis intervention housing support or hot meals from their café in Albion Street from July 25. The devastating blow comes after the organisation, which supports those dealing with financial hardship and struggling to keep a roof over their heads, missed out on a crucial tender to keep some of its much-needed services afloat. One source told the Glasgow Times: 'This is heartbreaking for those coping with homelessness, so many people rely on being able to come into the café daily as it's often the only cooked meal they get. 'Everyone is gutted by the news around the contract, it means around 200 homeless people a day will miss out on getting breakfast, lunch or dinner. It will hit the most vulnerable incredibly hard and there's genuine concern about the impact this will have and how people will survive without this service.' Our source added: 'The charity does fantastic work and even has a training kitchen to teach people the importance of eating a healthy nutritious meal, but now the funding is no longer in place, it's unable to operate. 'Staff and the people who come through the doors are in bits. This is a huge blow that nobody expected. Where will people turn to for help, especially with the number of people experiencing homelessness in the city rising year after year?' (Image: NQ) The Marie Trust also provides dental health checks, laundry services and seven-day emergency food parcels to those experiencing financial hardship. It is unclear if these will be impacted by the changes. A statement from the charity reads: 'We regret to inform you that we will no longer be offering our housing and welfare service or our training kitchen and café service after July 25. 'This change is due to the Wayfinder Outreach Services Contract, commissioned by Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership, which will commence on August 7. Unfortunately, we have been informed that the Marie Trust was unsuccessful in tendering for this. 'The trust will however continue to deliver our Hospital Outreach Service, counselling and psychotherapy and education service. We would like to thank all our service users, supporters and partners for all their support and trust over the years.' READ NEXT: Theft from Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital sparks probe It continues: 'We understand that this may impact those currently using our services, and we are committed to supporting individuals through this transition as best we can.' A Glasgow man spoke to us about how he was able to transform his life after turning to the Marie Trust when he hit rock bottom. He said: 'I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for the support, care and compassion shown to me. The charity basically brought me back from the brink and helped me to get back on my feet. 'It means so much to so many people. The work they do is invaluable and knowing that people will miss out on a hot meal because of these changes is soul destroying. So many vulnerable people could potentially slip through the net, and that is a major worry.'
