‘Children as young as three’ queueing for food at night soup kitchen in Glasgow, says charity boss
A homelessness charity boss has said he was shocked to see more than 10 children lining up for hot food at a Glasgow soup kitchen.
Colin McInnes, who co-founded Homeless Project Scotland in 2019, said it was a “reflection on today’s politicians”.
Mr McInnes claimed there were youngsters as young as three who had been brought along by their parents, as well as a child in a pram on Friday night.
He told Sky News: “It was a big shocker to us. My message to politicians is this: They need to step up and deal with this or step aside and let someone else deal with it.”
Homeless Project Scotland (HPS) runs a soup kitchen seven nights a week under Glasgow’s Hielanman’s Umbrella next to Central Station in the city centre.
Mr McInnes claimed one mum made the trip from Paisley in Renfrewshire more than 10 miles away to stock up on food.
The charity chief added that he has noticed more people filling up bags with food so as they can freeze it to use later in the week.
He said: “We’re feeding 310 people a day. We’re the largest soup kitchen in Scotland and what’s extremely difficult to understand is that it’s only 20 minutes from Nicola Sturgeon’s constituency.”
The First Minister, who is MSP for Glasgow Southside, was reportedly invited to visit the soup kitchen more than a year ago but is yet to take up the offer.
A Scottish government spokesperson said: “The first minister regularly visits and engages with different organisations and groups to help inform the Scottish government’s efforts to tackle homelessness and the housing secretary visited Homeless Project Scotland last year.
“We’re taking action to end homelessness in Scotland once and for all, and are working closely with Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership, including meeting with them regularly to keep up to date with developments in the city.”
The Scottish government added it is providing £52.5m to support local authorities in implementing rapid housing and Housing First approaches. Earlier this month it announced a further £2.4m to help those struggling to buy food amid the cost of living crisis.
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The soup kitchen in Glasgow is open seven nights a week. Pic: Homeless Project Scotland
As well as the soup kitchen, Homeless Project Scotland also distributes sim cards for free phone calls and hygiene packages to those in need.
At the weekend, the charity’s street team was sent to Edinburgh after a “high level” of rough sleepers were reported to its helpline.
Sky News has contacted City of Edinburgh Council for comment.
Mr McInnes said: “Edinburgh was pretty horrific. People are walking about with quilts under their arms – a quilt under your arm and a soggy pavement is not a home.”
The Scotland-wide charity, which has 1,800 volunteers, uses money donated by members of the public to buy and cook food for the Glasgow soup kitchen.
It is currently on the lookout for a building in which to create a welfare centre that is open 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
Mr McInnes said: “It might give people hope and that sense of warmth that someone cares about them. We’re not looking for a building for free, just one that’s affordable.”
The charity is appealing to Glasgow City Council, the Scottish government and private landlords for help.
Glasgow City Council said it has tried to find a building, however none of the options so far have been deemed suitable by the charity.
A spokesperson said: “We have tried to find a suitable building for HPS to host their evening soup kitchen, but they have rejected the three options offered to them.
“HPS recently told us they now want somewhere that can open round-the-clock with a capacity for over 200 people.
“We are very sorry, but we just don’t have a place that matches the revised requirements set out by HPS.”
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
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As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee
The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.
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