ORGANISERS behind a soup kitchen in Glasgow have told how they may have to axe their vital service after learning they no longer have permanent access to a facility to cook meals. 

For the last year-and-a-half, Homeless Project Scotland had been using the kitchen at Destiny Church to cook hundreds of meals every week for those in need.

But, as Covid restrictions continue to ease, the South Side church has plans to use the space for a new counselling and mental health suite for the local community. 

The charity has until October 29 to find a new kitchen.

Glasgow Times:

Chairman Colin McInnes said: “It’s concerning, if we don’t have somewhere to cook the food then worst-case scenario, there will be no soup kitchen. Either that or we need to strip back the service a lot.

“The kitchen that we use in Destiny Church helps us to cook around 450 litres of food every week so we will be down by a large number of meals and choice of meals that we can give out.”

With pressure mounting at the facility, volunteers are expecting to be “busier than ever” when the looming cut to Universal Credit comes into place on October 6.

Colin said: “The impact of the £20 weekly cut to those receiving Universal Credit will be huge on our service, we are expected to be busier than ever. 

“I think our foodbank will be needed more than ever. The number of nappies and baby food that we will hand out will be horrendous. 

“If there is no soup kitchen and no service, then those who are expected to be impacted by the cut to Universal Credit will only take a double-hit if we can’t find somewhere new to cook.”

Glasgow Times:

A desperate appeal has been launched by volunteers in a bid to find a new kitchen. In the meantime, Colin is looking for cooks in advance to help prepare meals. 

He said: “I’m looking for access to a kitchen and access to somewhere in the same building where we can store vegetables.

“I’m also on the hunt for any volunteers to step up and cook for us in case we don’t find a new kitchen any time soon. If we could get people who could set up a pot or two in their homes, it would be a great help – we could provide them with the pots.

“They could really be providing someone with the first hot meal they have had in days.”

The charity’s Argyle Street unit - which once ran every Friday evening - now operates three times per week to reflect demand.

On average, volunteers distribute around 1300 meals to those in need every seven days.

A spokesman for Destiny Church said: “Destiny Church has been delighted to support the Homeless Project Scotland with our facilities in the Southside, Glasgow, and we’re grateful to have played our part in meeting the need among some of the most vulnerable in our communities, especially during lockdown. 

“As we go forward, we’re mindful of the increasing importance of mental health in our society and we will be increasing our capacity to help this need in our community by establishing a brand-new Counselling Suite at our Southside location. 

“We wish Homeless Project Scotland every success in their future endeavours and we look forward to working alongside them and the many other organisations in our city to meet the needs in our communities.”

Those who wish to contact Homeless Project Scotland can do so by emailing office@homelessprojectscotland.org