Schoolchildren have won a £3,000 grant for a leading homelessness charity in the city through top class research, teamwork and presentation skills in a nationwide competition.
Judges from The Wood Foundation chose Merkland School’s speech about Emmaus Glasgow for the cash award as part of its Youth and Philanthropy Initiative Scotland contest.
To bid for the prize, teams of schoolchildren from participating schools compete against each other to deliver the best presentation of their chosen charity, and the children’s portrayal of Emmaus Glasgow won over The Wood Foundation judges.
Grant for raising awareness
Alex Reid, YPI National Coordinator, said: “Congratulations to the students at Merkland School for securing funds and raising awareness of the work of Emmaus Glasgow.
“Young people learn more about the issues impacting their communities through YPI and have the opportunity to make a difference and support local charities doing important work. By kickstarting conversations about homelessness and better understanding the myriad of issues faced by others in their local area, young people are making a positive change for now and the future.”
Emmaus Glasgow provides a home and meaningful work for up to 27 formerly homeless people at resident accommodation and a charity shop on Ellesmere Street in Hamiltonhill as well as a superstore on Dumbarton Road in Partick.
Staff, volunteers and beneficiaries of the charity were delighted to find out about the win and receive the cash, which will fund training as well as support for people with lived experience of homelessness at Emmaus Glasgow.
Thank you to Merkland School
Director Richard Allwood said: “This is a sizeable donation to receive, and we are very thankful to The Wood Foundation and the children at Merkland School who chose to represent Emmaus Glasgow in the competition and did such a good job at representing us!
“All the proceeds from the win, will help us fulfil our role within Glasgow community. Our support doesn’t stop at providing accommodation and purposeful employment at Emmaus Glasgow, we also perform outreach services for homeless people still living on the streets.
“We’re forever grateful to the children at Merkland School, who shared a very compelling portrayal of our services. We just can’t stop smiling!”
To find out more about Emmaus Glasgow visit About Us here and Partner With Us here.