The Night time Industries Association (NTIA) and The Scottish Hospitality Group (SHG) have launched a campaign to raise vital funding to buy new LEZ compliant vehicles for the Homeless Project Welfare Service. It follows the implementation of the new Low Emissions Zone scheme by Glasgow City Council at the beginning of June which meant that the homeless charity found their current vehicles were non-compliant, leaving them with limited ability to care for the homeless in Glasgow.
Although Glasgow City Council have given a two-month exemption for a refrigerated van, the remaining vans are unable to be used, and the Charity does not have the funding to purchase new vans, with most of the funding raised going into supporting the people who need it most.
NTIA and SHG explain that they want “to change this, by raising enough money to buy them a van so they can continue to do the amazing work these volunteers do, in many cases saving peoples lives, and continuing to be able to collect food supplies to support their amazing soup kitchen” with the plea to “donate what you can, the price of one drink on a night out would make all the difference and help us to help them to purchase a van and help those less fortunate within our communities!”
A spokesperson NTIA Scotland said, “It’s times like this when communities need to come together and look after those that are less fortunate, we are all facing tough times but are strength comes from our collective voice and support.”
“The Homeless Project plays an important role within the community, but with the implementation of the LEZ scheme has been left them with most of their support vehicles non-compliant. The work they do in Glasgow is vitally important, and without doubt saves lives. We need to ensure we do everything possible to support this project to protect the vulnerable within our community.”
Stephen Montgomery Director SHG said, “Again, hospitality shows that it is willing to step up to the mark to show charitable support. We are all going through tough times, but the work that the Homeless Project Scotland does day in, and night out is beyond remarkable, and we could not allow the Glasgow LEZ scheme to put at jeopardy the needs of those so heavily dependent on this charity. To be able to provide them with a new vehicle to carry on their work, would be an amazing achievement”.
The Homeless Project Scotland was started off with just two volunteers, walking the streets distributing warm drinks to the homeless across Glasgow in flasks.
Today the very same charity feeds over three hundred homeless people every day from their “Soup Kitchen” on Argyle Street in Glasgow.
They also have dedicated volunteer street cyclists who provide food, water, clothing, and immediate help, supported by street teams who go wherever they need to in the city to provide assistance, 24hrs a day, 365 days a year.
The Go Fund Me Page is here