Glasgow charity fundraises for heating as bill 'twice as much as rent'

G20 Works, based in Wyndford, North Glasgow, is an organisation that supports young people who are not currently in education or employment.

Following the recent hike in prices, it is now asking people to donate towards its running costs.

Emily Cutts (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest)

Director Emily Cutts said: "Given that the cost of living has gone up so much, our heating is now double our rent.

“Food charities and community groups are very at risk because the money we would have been using today to help our young people, we are having to put it into heating, so it has become very expensive.

"Our heating bills are roughly going to be around £700 or £800. We also have a youth club, which will be the same amount again, so we are looking at around £1500 a month.

“Before prices escalated, it was maybe £100 a month for the youth club's bills.

"When we learned that the Co-op would match every donation up to £250, we jumped at the chance to try and raise some money this way."

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Volunteers and staff at G20 Works (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest)

Following the nearly seven-fold rise on some of the bills, the charity was forced to look to donations to help with its finances, as part of the Co-op Warm Spaces Funding Boost.

Money donated recently reached £1700, for which the charity is very grateful.

The charity worker added: "We are feeling great about what we raised so far, this is a few months’ rent. We are just keen to make as much as we can from it, to know that we don’t have to worry about heating for the next few months.

“People have been incredibly generous, we had some really nice donations and a lot of anonymous ones as well."

The social media plea read: "Our heating bills are astronomical over winter but it’s vital that we can provide a safe, warm space for local young people and their families. Many have turned their heating off and need access to a warm place."

Volunteers and staff at G20 Works (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest)

G20 Works’ successful fundraising means it can pour its money into the work it does in the community, which focuses on improving prospects for young adults.

Mrs Cutts added: “We are trying to support a positive future for young people. We run mentoring work programmes for young people between 16 and 25 to get them training, work opportunities and support with their personal development.

“They do things like our beauty project, where they are using models to practice makeup, nails and hair, they are also doing training and qualifications in this.

“We have another group who are doing a mentored car wash, where they are learning very high detailing and car washing. We have young people working on a pizza project as well.

“We want them to be on a positive pathway and support them into their positive future, in an area of very high deprivation and a lack of opportunity.

“We also have a women’s group and a men’s group, as a local warm space.

“We are doing activities and we want people to be warm. It’s a heated space for people to come to, where they also gain other things."

G20 Youth Festival street food project (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest)

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Rebecca Birkbeck, director of Community and Member Participation at Co-op, said: “At Co-op, we have a huge role to play in supporting community groups and the people that they help during the cost-of-living crisis.

“Funding for warm spaces forms part of our response to our community missions of access to food, mental wellbeing support and opportunities for young people.

"Launching this funding boost will help groups keep their lights and heating on as they bring communities together to keep warm in the coldest months of the year – increasing overall wellbeing.

"It may also mean people don’t have to choose between accessing food or heating this winter. Plus, having a warm space allows the community to take a break from their everyday worries, improving their mental wellbeing."

Graeme Roy, head of corporate partnerships at Crowdfunder, said: “We know that the cost-of-living crisis is hitting communities hard, so we have partnered with the Co-op to launch the £1 million Warm Spaces Funding Boost.

"G20 Works is an excellent example of communities supporting each other through the cost-of-living crisis. We’re delighted that this funding will help them to reach their goal and will enable them to continue to support vulnerable young people in Glasgow."

The Glasgow Times has been raising awareness of the cost-of-living crisis through our Beat the Squeeze campaign. 

You can contribute to the fundraiser here.