Cup Of Tea With A Refugee Event. Credit: Gary Grochla
Writer
Over 150 people recently attended a “Cup of tea with a refugee” event at the Anderston Kelvingrove Parish Church Hall this month in order to raise funds and support for the Glasgow Night Shelter.
The free event raised a total of £746.18 for the shelter.
People were encouraged to eat, drink tea and chat with refugees from all backgrounds and nationalities while four bands played into the night.
“Cup of tea with a refugee” is a Scottish Refugee Council initiative. The Council encourages people to hold their own events and provides guidance for doing so on their website. Laura McMahon and fellow volunteers learned about the initiative and decided to hold an event themselves.
Laura McMahon said: “The aim was just to bring people together to share experiences, food and music. These are universal and remind us that we have more similarities than differences. We’re all human.
“The most harrowing thing for me is that the men who use the Night Shelter have absolutely nothing. They have no access to benefits and are homeless in a foreign land. Whatever we can do to make their life brighter will be something positive.”
The Glasgow Night Shelter provides destitute men a place to stay overnight as, due to their immigration status, they are unable to access normal homelessness services.
Donations to the Glasgow Night Shelter are always welcome. Suggestions include t-shirts, warm coats, hats, scarves or gloves for the residents of the night shelter. Canned food such as kidney beans, chickpeas or tuna are also encouraged.
