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Rebuilding lives in Glasgow with the Marie Trust
The Marie Trust, a Scottish charity focused on helping those who are homeless – or at risk of becoming homeless – is one of Glasgow’s key organisations giving people the support they need to rebuild their life.
The charity has received two grants of £20,00 each through the Greggs Foundation community hubs programme in the past two years. Grants they have put hard to work to create new opportunities for the individuals who access their services.
Homelessness, poverty, and social exclusion are often the result of complex and challenging situations. The Marie Trust specialises in helping people recover from trauma, street homelessness, addiction, mental health problems, and ex-offending and their aim is to help people rebuild their life in a respectful and sensitive way.
The aims of the Marie Trust align with the overall objectives of the Community Hubs programme to support organisations close to Greggs Outlets which are making a real difference in the local area. A share of profits from all Greggs Outlets are invested back into the communities they serve.
Frances McKinlay, Chief Officer at the Marie Trust is one of the leading figures at the organisation who has helped shape a service that supports thousands of individuals every year.
As a charity, it can be difficult to find funding partners who are willing to offer core funding. This is despite it being one of the make-or-break aspects of keeping many charities running. We were fortunate enough to receive £20,000 in grant-funding from the Greggs Foundation in 2022 and a second grant in 2023, which allowed us to maintain services while undergoing a much-needed renovation project. Now that our renovation is complete and we can see the positive impact it is having, we couldn’t be more thankful for what the funding and the Greggs Foundation has helped us to achieve.Frances McKinlay, Chief Officer at the Marie Trust
Last year, The Marie Trust undertook a large-scale renovation to transform a new hub on Albion Street in Glasgow. Open to the public since the start of 2023, the walk-up access of the new Hub has dramatically increased the reach of the charity to help a far greater number of individuals with wrap-around support.
The hub has a pharmacist and dental service on-site and greater opportunities for people to be involved in the delivery of services through its volunteering programme. The volunteer programme is key to helping build people’s confidence, life skills and skills for work. A real priority when overcoming isolation, recovery periods or a transition from custody into the community.
The healthy living café at the Albion Street Hub also provides nutritionally balanced meals for its clients either free or for a fraction of the cost. While the café plays a key role in ensuring users can receive essential food and nutrition, it also has another function as an on-site training kitchen where individuals can learn new skills in a supportive environment. This real-world work experience can be essential in transitioning back to employment, with trainees also encouraged to work towards qualifications. Education services at the Marie Trust provide a direct route into further education and the team maintain close ties to Glasgow colleges.
Our services are underpinned by the need to offer immediate and flexible support and be advocates for people who are homeless. We place great value on respecting the dignity and privacy of the people who use our services to help improve their quality of life. There are few access routes out of poverty and crisis situations which affect so many people who are experiencing homelessness. People need the time, personal support and information to move forward and at the Marie Trust, we can be that support in the community to help people rebuild their life.Frances McKinlay
For more information on the work of the Marie Trust, please visit themarietrust.org or take a look at the short film below.