Cost of Living Event
On Wednesday 22nd February from 11-3pm, Clyde Shopping Centre is hosting a ‘Cost of Living’ event to provide advice and support to those in our community affected by the increases in the cost of living.
The cost of living is hitting people hard, and Clyde Shopping Centre has joined forces with a number of partner organisations across the public and voluntary sector to provide an information and advice sharing event to provide help with a range of topics including food, fuel, and money.
The event is completely free of charge, information stands will be located throughout the mall, no appointments necessary, just come along on the day.
Find out a bit more about the organisations taking part in our event below:
Food For Thought
We are a charity set up to deliver emergency food aid to those in need in West Dunbartonshire and, where possible, empower our clients to find a way out of poverty by means of support, information and education as part of the social regeneration of Dumbarton High Street. Our key aim is to provide individuals and families with support and knowledge to improve life choices through peer support, community participation and education. Our main office is based in Dumbarton and we have three outreach centres, in Dalmuir, Alexandria and Clydebank. We run a free community soup every Wednesday in St Augustine’s Church Hall and have a social enterprise cafe in Dumbarton
Our contact details are:
01389 743908
admin@foodforthoughtwestdun.co.uk
Old Kilpatrick Food Parcels
OKFP provides access to food, toiletries, pet food and baby items for anyone with struggling financially. We have no criteria and welcome people from any area, there is no one we will not help.
Our Warm Hub is a safe space where you can spend time, enjoy company, unlimited hot drinks, warm lunches and free wifi. The increased cost of living is making difficult for people to work from home, we offer free desk space open Monday to Friday 12-4pm
https://okfp.org.uk/
tel:07368496836
contact@okfp.org.uk
West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare
If you live in West Dunbartonshire and need to access any of our services please call us.
- Emergency Food
- School Uniform Bank
- School Holiday Brunch Bags
- Fuel Bank
- Christmas Toybank
- Babybank
Call 01389 764 135 or Freephone 0800 345 7050. Our phone lines are open Tuesday to Friday, 10am – 4pm, we then deliver the next working day.
Faifley Foodshare
Faifley Food Share a non profit organization run by volunteers and managed by Faifley Community Council. We provide weekly food parcels to our community and the wider community.
Faifley Road, Clydebank, G81 5AR, UK, Faifley parish church hall
Mentor Scotland
Peer to peer support network. Promoting positive attitude towards stigma attached to mental health.
- Mentor Scotland have a mens peer to peer group, every Friday night at the Ben View Resource Centre from 5pm – 9pm, 5 – 7pm drop in then 7pm – 9pm talking group
We also have a walking group on Thursday mornings at 10am. Meeting at Ben View.
We are hoping in the coming weeks to be opening up the group for women that are struggling with mental health issues.
You can find us on facebook at Mentor Scotland
Step Change
We provide free debt advice tailored to your individual circumstances and in line with Scottish debt law.
Skills Development Scotland
Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is Scotland’s national skills body. We contribute to Scotland’s sustainable economic growth by supporting people and businesses to develop and apply their skills. We work with our partners to provide services that deliver the very best outcomes for Scotland’s people, businesses and the economy”.
As a public organisation, funded by Scottish Government, at Clydebank Careers Centre we offer free services such as –
- Career information, advice and guidance on career choices
- Advice on the routes into career including jobs, apprenticeships, training and learning
- Help with CVs, application forms and interviews
- Careers events
- Insight into the local labour market
- Access to Scotland’s careers web service, My World of Work
- Redundancy support
- Support for parents and carers
Home Energy Scotland
Home Energy Scotland helps people in Scotland create warmer homes, reduce their energy bills, and lower their carbon footprint. We are funded by the Scottish Government and managed by Energy Saving Trust.
We do this through a network of regional advice centres covering all of Scotland, which offer local knowledge and expert advice on:
- saving energy and keeping warm at home
- funding options including Scottish Government grants and interest free loans
- installing renewable energy at home
- greener travel including electric vehicles and ebikes
- cutting water waste.
https://www.homeenergyscotland.org/
- Executive Agency of the Scottish Government.
- Will deliver benefits in Scotland for people with disabilities, carers, and some people on low incomes needing help with particular costs.
- Offices in Dundee and Glasgow.
- Delivering a nationwide face to face and local service.
- A system developed with people, for people.
- Delivering Social Security with Dignity, Fairness, Respect
Drumchapel Citizens Advice Bureau
Glasgow – Drumchapel Citizens Advice Bureau is a local, independent charity which provides free, impartial and confidential advice and information. We are at the heart of the community, supporting people live and work in G1 to G15. From advice and information on day to day issues, through to detailed support and specialist topics, we can help.
VoiceAbility in Scotland
Do you identify as disabled? Get support with benefit applications from VoiceAbility
VoiceAbility is a rights and voice charity. We make sure you’re heard when it matters most.
The Scottish government has commissioned Voiceability to help people who want to apply for benefits or appeal the result of an application, but may need some support.
An advocate is an independent professional who is on your side. If you, a family member or someone you care for identifies as disabled, VoiceAbility can provide an advocate for you. Your advocate can support you to have your say, know your rights and help you with the application process.
Get in touch: Freephone 0300 303 1660 | helpline@voiceability.org | webchat at voiceability.org
West Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau
West Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau provides local residents with free information and advice on a wide range of subjects. Our team of skilled and trained Advisers recognise that one problem is often linked to another so, rather than simply focusing in on one single problem, we will look at the bigger picture. By doing this we will attempt to identify and even prevent other potential problems which can stop them escalating into anything more serious.
Our volunteers and staff won’t tell you what to do – that is your choice – but we will explain your options and possible consequence you can expect if you choose a particular course of action. We want to help you take control of your situation and to get the best outcome for you.
We provide independent advice on a wide range of subjects:
- Benefits – questions about entitlements, support with applications, appeals against unfair decisions, benefit checks;
- Debt advice – maximise your income, improve your financial situation, negotiating with your creditors;
- Employment problems – questions about your terms and conditions of employment, disciplinary and grievance procedures, redundancy, dismissal;
- Consumer issues – we can advise and assist on everything from a complaint about a broken kettle to problems with gas and electricity suppliers, mobile phones, fitted kitchens, bathrooms, etc;
- Family & Relationship problems – issues relating to splitting up, bereavement, disputes around access and custody issues regarding children;
- Housing – problems with public sector and private sector landlords, problems with neighbours, environmental issues, threatened or actual homelessness
Clydebank Salvation Army Community Church!
As part of the Christian Church the Salvation Army is possibly best known for its social care and justice, as well as its worship ministry. Indeed, its motto is “Heart to God and Hand to Man.”
In Clydebank we are very active and have just completed this year’s Christmas Present Appeal. Like so many groups in the area we wanted to make sure that families with children and young people had the best Christmas possible despite the many hardships that are around at this time.
We met the needs of around 800-1000 children whose details are supplied anonymously by social workers and family support staff in schools. The public’s generosity is always appreciated and never taken for granted.
Again, we had a Christmas tree at our front door in Sylvannia Way South (adjacent to the Coop} where, for a small donation, passers-by could hang a little star or heart with a message or prayer on it – every Wednesday and Saturday from 23rd November until Christmas eve. In addition, our brass band played carols each Saturday in the shopping centre – always a favourite with the public, with many folk telling us that it helps make Christmas feel special. The money donated at both of these activities goes directly to funding our Christmas Appeal.
Our Café has resumed and is open from 11.00 till 1.30 on Wednesdays and Thursdays. It offers a warm welcome and safe space in which to enjoy FREE tea, coffee, soup. bread and biscuits. There are tabletop games and also information relating to all sorts of community help. Why not come and check it out.
On a Friday at 5.00pm we continue to offer Kidzone – a games club for children at primary school. It runs in term time from 5.00pm to 7.00pm and in that time everyone also gets a 3 course hot meal. Parents are welcome to stay too!!
We are able to offer ‘Employment Plus’ support – an initiative that offers job seeking and CV help. Additionally we are also a venue where there is a small emergency food bank, but can also refer on to larger food banks.
Our church family service takes place each Sunday at 10.30 am and anyone is welcome to attend. We would love to see you at some point over a week!
David Henderson
Community Programme Manager