‘shocked to the extreme to hear that Scotland’s homeless charities and other key providers are closing their doors at this time’
In response to the closure of frontline services and businesses for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II yesterday, Homeless Project Scotland opened an emergency Soup Kitchen which served warm food and other provisions from 8pm on Argyle Street under the ‘heilanman’s umbrella’.
This provision was in addition to the charity’s 24/7 free helpline for those at risk of homelessness or are homeless.
Raja Rani in Bearsden and Tantrum Donuts were among the local businesses to support the project’s initiative.
Speaking on the eve of the state funeral, a spokesperson for Homeless Project Scotland said: “We appreciate that tomorrow will be an emotional day for our country, however we also must recognise that tomorrow will bring challenges for those who are vulnerable and homeless in being able to source and access warm and nutritious food, in addition to support given tomorrow’s closures of food banks and other homeless charities closing their doors at this time.
“It is disappointing and we are shocked to the extreme to hear that throughout Scotland homeless charities and other key providers are closing their doors at this time. It must be recognised however that Homelessness does not stop tomorrow, and as such we must uphold our principles at this difficult time and ensure that nobody goes to bed with an empty stomach .
“This is particularly going to be felt in Glasgow especially given that those who are homeless and in the city’s hotels used for accommodating the homeless will only be able to provide breakfast, consisting of a cereal bar, due to the removal of evening meals from all hotel based accommodation since May this year.
“This service will not affect our normal Soup kitchen operations on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.“