For nearly 200 years, Glasgow City Mission has been a constant presence in the lives of the city’s most marginalised. Founded in 1826, it holds the distinction of being the world’s first City Mission, and its mission to provide compassionate care remains as vital today as it was in the Victorian era.
The City Centre Project, a cornerstone of the organisation’s work, provides essential support to those grappling with homelessness, poverty, addiction, and social isolation. The mission’s approach is distinctly personal; staff prioritise building individual relationships to tailor support around each person’s unique needs, with the ultimate goal of helping them “flourish and know fullness of life.”
The organisation’s work is bolstered by the support of volunteers with some of our people joining the Glasgow City Mission team last week, delivering a mix of practical assistance and human connection contributing to a lunchtime service that offered a poignant reminder of the mission’s impact.
Alasdair, Support Services Manager, described a “brilliant time” serving and sharing food with some of the city’s “most vulnerable and needy.” This sentiment was echoed by Project Co-ordinator Fraser, who called the experience “very humbling.”
“I didn’t know what to expect,” Fraser said, noting the constant flow of people through the busy centre. “The work they do is amazing, and it was a nice feeling to be a small part of that.” He highlighted the importance of seeing the direct result of charitable work. “It’s sometimes easy to make a donation… but today I got to see firsthand what’s behind the donation. Volunteering in person definitely brings a bit of humanity to it.”
Nicola, Senior Administrator, admitted to feeling nervous beforehand but was ultimately grateful for the experience. “Something as simple as serving lunch, sharing stories, and listening, was such a humbling experience, and reminded me we’re all just people, trying to get by.”
The team from George Leslie universally praised the experience as “transformative,” with many commending the dedication of the mission’s staff and regular volunteers.
Joanne from Glasgow City Mission was thankful for the time and effort our people and passed on some feedback to our volunteers “the staff have loved having you here and have had high praise indeed for every one of the team who have come in”
The Glasgow City Mission initiative serves as a powerful example of how Togetherness at George Leslie extends beyond the site or our office walls and that we can provide tangible aid and a new perspective for those involved.