The Halliday Foundation has been operating since October 2018, with three ‘walking teams’ patrolling Glasgow city centre on a Tuesday and Sunday evening to help the homeless, vulnerable and less fortunate people on the streets. They also set up tables on the corner of Argyle Street and Glassford Street providing food options, hot drinks, clothing, sleeping bags, a barbering service and basic living essentials. Perhaps more importantly, they provide someone to talk to and a shoulder to cry on.
Approximately 40 volunteers assist each evening with a huge demand from over 170 homeless and/or vulnerable people.
“Homelessness is a complex social problem with a variety of underlying economic and social factors such as poverty, lack of affordable housing, uncertain physical and mental health, addictions and community and family breakdowns.”
A recent message on Facebook illustrates the massive impact the charity is having on people’s lives: “I would like to thank all at the Halliday Foundation who helped me and my partner when we were homeless and having a difficult time. I would like to let you know we now have temporary accommodation and are settled. Thanks again, we will be forever grateful.”
The Halliday Foundation also visits service users if they are hospitalised and can help people access support for mental health issues.
Someone who has benefitted from this practical and emotional support is James (whose name has been changed to protect his privacy). He was hospitalised during the summer having been found close to death following months of rough living and substance abuse. James has had on-going support from the team who regularly visited him whilst in hospital until he was on the mend, and then encouraged him to engage in a narcotics support programme. James is now off the streets and living in temporary accommodation, hoping to move into a permanent place if he continues to attend support groups. He has been clean for several months and his goal is to become a mentor with the Halliday Foundation in the future.
Chris Halliday (29), the founder of the Group, said; “Initially I started out on my own with support from family and friends, walking the city centre in the evening with a small cart serving hot drinks and a snack to people I saw ‘on the street’. I quickly realised that more help was needed due to the alarming number of homeless people in Glasgow. I set up our charity and am amazed at how it has grown over a relatively short period of time.”
Charity status was awarded by OSCR, the Charities Commission in August 2019.
Now that winter has arrived, it is an even more desperate situation for the service users and an appeal has been launched.
