Desperate Glasgow families who can't afford Christmas turn to charity

Councillor Audrey Dempsey, who runs Glasgow’s No1 Baby and Family Support Service, says they are experiencing their busiest ever festive period - with over 2045 people turning to them for help.

The charity has also seen a sharp rise in working poverty, with 47 per cent of those referred in employment, yet struggling to make ends meet due to the cost-of-living crisis.

Classroom assistants, ambulance drivers, NHS staff and members of the police and fire service have been among those coming through the doors.

READ MORE: Meet the Glasgow charity fighting child abuse in Govan

Cllr Dempsey told the Glasgow Times: “This is our busiest festive period to date and what we are hearing is that wages just don’t go far enough. The cost of electricity, food and clothing has increased while wage packets have stayed the same.

“It’s a constant battle for people to make their money stretch, and even essential items are no longer affordable. It’s genuinely shocking to see how people are being forced to live and I dread to think what would happen if places like this didn’t exist.

“People are battling to keep a roof over their heads and when it comes to Christmas, they just don’t have anything spare. We’ve had parents coming to us in tears because their children will have nothing to open on December 25.

“It’s absolutely heartbreaking, and while we do everything we can to help, we know there are still families falling through the cracks. Poverty is being inflicted on people and being employed in what people would consider as a good career still isn't paying the bills."

The charity and its kind-hearted team of volunteers provide a warm jacket and five toys for each child to open on Christmas morning. However, they are in urgent need of more items - such as warm winter jackets for children - to help meet demand.

The team, based in Barmulloch, are busy working around the clock to deliver each bag of gifts to as many families as possible. They still have 445 packs to fill before December 25.

Cllr Dempsey says the reason she got involved in politics was to help drive change for those in need.

She added: “We are very short on jackets, and they can be pre-loved as long as they are in good condition, we will happily accept them.

“We will be delivering the items to families as close to Christmas day as possible. We really don’t want anyone to go without and appreciate each and every donation we receive.

“Even after all this time it still shocks me that people are living in poverty. The frustrating thing for me is that I became a councillor to try and change things, yet there’s still not enough being done to support people in poverty and those facing inequality.

 “We waste millions of pounds and never seem to develop a real solution to the crisis people are facing daily. We have people coming to us with literally nothing, no food electricity and living in real hardship.

"Anyone who doubts this should look at the number of parcels we are delivering through our festive appeal. It’s a huge problem.”

The Labour councillor for Springburn and Robroyston also has several people giving back to the charity after receiving help.

She said: “One lady, who we helped through a difficult period when she lost her job, recently popped in to drop off a load of items. She said she wanted to repay the good turn we had done for her, which was very touching.

“She is now in employment and felt it was important to give something back to other families living on the breadline.

“That’s what’s so great about the work we do. It’s a real community effort and people who have relied on us in the past often return wanting to help out."

Cllr Dempsey set up the charity in 2017 while she was an addictions support worker after discovering her clients were waiting longer and longer for access to clothes, toys and furniture.

She adds: “It’s not in my nature to sit back and watch people go without. The charity started as a small project working out of a garage. It's grown massively over the years, and it’s sad now to see the number of Glaswegians who are being forced into poverty. As we move in 2023, I expect our referral numbers will just keep on rising."

To contact the charity, search for them on Facebook or email gnonebfss@gmail.com