Founder says it will save lives
Indoor accommodation has finally been found for a project in Glasgow as it struggles to feed homeless people this winter.
Homeless Project Scotland, which sets up hot food stalls nightly in Argyll Street, has secured the premises thanks to a local business.
Barry Cushley has given over a basement he owns in Glassford Street meaning homeless people and those in need can enjoy a safe space to eat and be warm.
Cushley runs the property developers C&C Group and has signed over the basement of a building he owns in Merchant City, for use by Homeless Project Scotland for three months.
Homeless Project Scotland boss Colin MacInnes said: “We are over the moon, this is what we have been working towards since the very start – creating a safe space for the people who need it most.
“This is 100 per cent going to save lives, it will massively reduce the number of deaths on the streets this winter in Glasgow.
“A safe, warm place for us to work, to feed and look after people, is all we have wanted. And now we have it – we want to create a 24 hour welfare centre to provide shelter, warmth, hot food to homeless and vulnerable people.”
The charity has previously been outspoken against Glasgow City Council and Susan Aitken, its leader, as well as Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Government for not giving support to find accommodation in the city.
Cushley said: “It broke my heart to see what the team at Homeless Project Scotland are going through with moving to an area they felt unsafe and now going back to where they’d been chased from. I felt I had to do something.
“I am fortunate to be in a position where I can do something to help Colin and his team right now, to get their people and the families they help off the streets for the coldest months of the year.
“We have been able to give them full use of a private, warm, dry, safe and secure area of a building we own. We have agreed it’s initially for the next three months – Colin will have the keys and it’s theirs to operate and manage as they need it.
“We had a very powerful meeting with Colin and Nick from McChuills who I have to thank, he was our point of contact and he has helped us put the whole thing together. Colin is really inspirational and so is Nick. Colin knows what he needs and isn’t afraid to ask for it. I admire that.”
