Daffodil Club in Glasgow's Easterhouse 'has just six months left'

The Daffodil Club in Easterhouse has provided hot meals and valuable care to vulnerable pensioners but only has enough money left in reserve to continue operating for six months.

The organisation says that a widespread drop in funding to charities across Scotland, married with rising running costs, have combined to push it to the brink.

Staff say they are ‘worried sick' by the prospect of what could happen to the elderly and disabled people who rely on them.

Project manager Lynda O’Neil exclusively told the Glasgow Times: “It costs around £10,000 each month to run our services and currently we don't have enough cash to make it past August.

“I’ve been working here for 29 years, and I’ve never known things to be so bad. The funding we previously could access just isn’t available now and we were banking on an application to the Glasgow Communities Fund to survive.

"This would have kept us going for the next three years but we've been told that our application has been unsuccessful. Ultimately budget cuts and a drop in charity funding are squeezing the life out of clubs like ours.

“This now leaves us in a precarious position. Unless we can find the money from somewhere else, we will have no option but to close our doors.

“It’s a heartbreaking prospect, and one that none of us want to face. It begs the question about what will happen to the people who rely on us if we are no longer here for them."

We previously revealed that 72 groups were not getting cash from the council's Communities Fund this year, while more than 200 bids were successful. 

The council says the fund was oversubscribed, with almost 450 groups across the city applying.

The final recommendations saw 235 of these approved for money from the £16.5 million allocated for 2023 from a £50m fund spread over three years.

Councillor Christina Cannon, convener for education, communities and equalities, said: “This has been a comprehensive, robust open and transparent process that has resulted in £50m of grant funding being distributed to 235 organisations across the city to help our citizens and communities most in need.

“A total of 445 applications were received – applying for 64% more money than the value of the grant funding available."

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The Daffodil Club has provided exercise classes, hairdressing sessions, three-course cooked meals, advocacy and kinship support to thousands of elderly people who are struggling to cope on their own, with many referred to the service by their GP.

Lynda, 58, explained that for many people a trip to their hub is all they have to look forward to.

She added: “Some people suffer from dementia and some from diabetes or other disabilities. For many people coming along to our wee club is often the only thing they have to look forward to.

“They forge friendships, enjoy a meal and a blether. It’s a safe space for them and I am genuinely terrified by the thought of what will happen if we are not here to help five days a week.

“We have three mini buses that collect our service users from their homes, bring them to the hub and drop them at their front door. We also help with healthcare checks, such as making sure they have their prescriptions and getting them to medical appointments.

“With the cost-of-living crisis, we also help with advice on energy bills, rent payments and a lot of advocacy work to make sure each person is getting access to the support they need.”

Lynda, from Easterhouse, says she noticed a decline in the health of some members when the club was forced to close its doors during the Covid pandemic - and fears many more will be impacted if they can't find the cash to stay afloat.

She said: “People rely on us to get them out of their homes, otherwise they face being stuck indoors with nobody.

“It was awful seeing the decline in some of our regulars during the pandemic. Although we were still delivering cooked meals and checking up on them daily, they missed the social interaction that comes with being at the hub.

“A lot of people felt very isolated and lonely as some have no family. They view this place like a second home. We were one of the first clubs to reopen as soon as it was safe to do so because we saw first-hand the damage being shut was causing.

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“Right now, our phones are ringing off the hook and the sad part is we are unable to take on any more referrals because we just don’t know if we will be here in six months.

“It’s soul-destroying to know there are people out there who need us, yet because of a lack of funding, we can’t reach them. It’s an awful situation, one we never thought we would face. We need urgent help to continue to be there for those who need us most.”

Doreen Watkins is a key support worker at the Daffodil Club and has seen first-hand how the assistance on offer benefits people coming through the doors.

She also helps assist Sandra Brown, 65, who has been attending the hub for the last two years.

Doreen said: “The staff here cannot do enough for people, and in Sandra’s case it has helped to bring her out of her shell.

“She comes to the club twice a week and it is now an absolute lifeline to her. She’s able to take part in gentle exercise classes, play a game of bingo, enjoy a hot meal and has built cherished friendships.

“I see daily how it helps people to thrive - it means the world to people like Sandra.

“Places like this are vital and just can't be allowed to go under. For some elderly people, it’s the only thing they have to look forward to for days at a time. If we are not here, then I dread to think what will happen. 

“Over the last three decades, we have created a safe, welcoming and engaging space. For some, the food we provide is the only cooked meal they will have that day. We are doing everything in our power to keep our heads above water, but we need help to cover the running costs.”