A charity which is changing lives across the city has admitted that they are struggling in the face of cost-of-living pressures.
Glasgow Golden Generation (GGG) has brought vital services to people over the age of 55 for the last seven decades – helping to combat loneliness and isolation while teaching locals new life skills.
But as heating, fuel and food costs continue to rise, GGG said times are tough with budgets decreasing and the number of people using the charity is ever-growing.
Lynsey Neilson, communications and dementia manager at Glasgow Golden Generation, said: “It is tough and it’s getting harder and harder. We need support.
“Fuel costs and the price of food have gone up and up. We are cutting back and doing what we can but there is only so much we can do.
“We want to help as many people as we can but we can’t grow without funding.
“We want to be here and we need to be here. We are so important for the community in Glasgow.”
The charity offers key services including day centres, financial and welfare advice, clubs organised by older adults for older adults and classes to help people get onto the internet.
Having told the Glasgow Times about the services on offer, Lynsey went on to describe the charity as a ‘lifeline’.
She said: “The thing we hear most is that GGG is a lifeline and it makes such a difference to the people using it.”
But when the Glasgow Times headed out to the Fred Paton Day Care Centre in the West End - one of the charity's two centre locations - it was clear that GGG is in fact much more than that.
To users like Grace McCafferty, the charity has been life-changing.
The 86-year-old said: “I love my club and my day centre; it has changed my life.
“This place has made me feel alive again. I never thought at the age of 86 that I would be up playing bowls and dancing.
“I have five boys and one lassie and sometimes you forget who you are – but this place has helped me find myself again.
“Every day has become a bonus. All the staff and people here are amazing, they can’t do enough for you. I love it.”
Liz Stefaniak, 83, said: “I love my club. It’s great.
“The staff are so kind and they keep you going. They are very good to us and we have a good laugh with them.
“In the summer, we have a barbeque, and we went to see the llamas once – I got a kiss from them, and I was just besotted. We don’t get a chance to do these things usually.
“I’m even learning computing here too. It’s terrific food and company.”
Jim MacDonald, 78, added: “I started coming here just once a week and now I’m here five days.
“I like the company and doing the wee quizzes that they put on for us.
“This has been a really positive thing for me. If I wasn’t here, I’d be sitting about doing nothing. I’d be in bed listening to the radio. It gets me out of the house.”
Aware of how transformative their services are to OAPs in the city, Lynsey made it clear that the charity will do everything they can to keep their doors open.
She added: “We are in our 75th year – we are not going anywhere without a fight.”
However, as funding is continually becoming scarce for many charities in the city, GGG admitted that they need as much support and donations that they can get, in order to stay afloat.
You can support the charity by donating HERE or by sponsoring on charitable ventures, such as The Kiltwalk which is taking place in April.
To find out more information about GGG, click HERE
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