Volunteer-run charity helping socially excluded women needs new funding to continue
A Glasgow-based women’s group has warned it needs new sources of funding to avoid curtailing its services.
Volunteer-run Tea in the Pot (TITP) was formed by Anne Keegan to combat loneliness and social exclusion among women in the city’s Govan area.
Now she warns funding of £110,000 will be needed over the next three years to continue to deliver the service to the community.
Although Keegan and friend Ann McGhee run the charity unpaid, they say they will have to recruit paid staff to keep the organisation sustainable in the future.
The charity, which is currently funded by Oxfam, the Robertson Trust and NHS Scotland, had over 2,000 drop-in visits last year and describes itself as the “empty space for women between no man’s land; the step before professional help, or a place to go where there is no professional help.”
Keegan said: "We all have our own issues to deal with, which can be quite stressful at times, but we have found the best way to help yourself is by helping others. We're proving that.
This is a lifeline to a lot of women and we think it is vital to keep this running
"This works so well because there are no bosses. We're all on the same level, despite the fact we all come from different backgrounds, and our ages range from 16 to 86.
"We do have a laugh. It's not just about getting through the hard stuff, but about getting your confidence back, becoming part of a community and learning some new skills."
She added: "But we have to get fresh funding. This is a lifeline to a lot of women and we think it is vital to keep this running."
Funding pressures mean the group may have to cut back on one of the rooms it hires, meaning it will have to cut back on the amount of women it supports.
Researcher Maria Feeney who carried out a joint University of West of Scotland and Oxfam study, examining the benefit TITP delivers, said: “Our report can't begin to say how many people this group has helped.
"Because there's no pressure to talk, women are more inclined to come along and even just sit for a while until they're comfortable enough to take part. Women come out of their shell here, it changes lives.
"This group helps alleviate feelings of isolation and loneliness, builds confidence and helps people engage with the wider community. It should be considered as a model to be applied throughout Scotland.
“However, it needs to be resourced and it is vital potential funders appreciate the nature and importance of the contribution they are making."
