10-05-2025
We are Street Aid, we help those in crisis in city centre - but we could close
A CHARITY offering medical assistance in the city centre could be forced to close due to a lack of funding.
Glasgow Street Aid (GSA), the city's only medical and welfare street team, has been turned down for several grants meaning they now only have enough money left to operate for nine months.
John Barclay, head of service, says they have been turned down for a lot of grant funding due to being "such a multifaceted service".
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(Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) He said: "We're struggling to find funding where we fit their needs.
"When we find someone, because we support children, ethnic minorities, the general public, the homeless, drug users, pretty much anybody and everybody because we're not doing high levels of one thing, that's where we get let down."
He continued: "In the last 12 months we've been getting turned down for a lot more than we have in the past.
"Most of our small grants are £500 or £1000 per year, and I think the highest we've had at one time has been £5000.
"We seem to be getting turned down for more than we get approved for.
"Our current bank balance is a terrible place to be."
(Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) John, who also founded the charity, says it costs around £100,000 a year to run the service, with volunteers now sometimes resorting to buying items such as bandages in order to save the charity money.
He says if they are unable to raise funds, they could be forced to reduce or shut down operations.
John added: "One year of funds is where your minimum should be at.
"That's not for lack of trying, it's just through lack of being successful in funding applications."
"If we were to shut down due to no funds, the devastating side would be we wouldn't able to support more people than the thousands we've already supported.
"The service is a really beneficial thing."
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(Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) Founded in 2021, GSA volunteers provide free emergency medical care and welfare support to people in Glasgow, helping "the injured, vulnerable, and those in crisis".
Operating from 7.30pm to 4am on Fridays and Saturdays they help tackle pressure on both the ambulance service and A&E departments by providing on scene care in the centre of Glasgow.
In 2024 alone, they responded to 1010 medical incidents, 815 welfare incidents, 24 drug overdoses and transferred 89 patients to hospital.
John said: "By us being in the city, there's less ambulances in the city and they're able to do their job elsewhere and by us providing on scene care its massively reducing A&E admissions and getting them to better appropriate services.
"We do a really important job."
(Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) The organisation has now launched a fundraiser on Just Giving to try and raise £100,000 to keep them going by the end of the year to pay for essentials including medical supplies, vehicle fuel and maintenance, radio and safety equipment and building rent, power and services.
John said: "In the grand scheme of things £100,000 isn't a really big number but when we're getting let down by funding all the time and because we're all volunteers it's hard to get out there fundraising."
Looking to the future, the charity hopes to open a café in the city centre with any profits going towards funding their work.
John explained: "It will be a great thing going forward but we need to get that kicked off.
"It will also provide a bit of employability and we won't be begging for funding grants and they won't be so heavily relied on.
"That's something we're doing that's in the right step and sustainable."
You can view or donate to GSA's fundraiser at
