A MINISTER seeking £2000 to bring Christmas to his inner-city parish has slammed the “heartbreaking” levels of need under “Dickensian” Tory welfare.
Reverend Brian Casey, of Springburn Parish Church in Glasgow, has launched a £2000-target crowdfunder to buy gifts for asylum seekers, refugees and locals living under the breadline.
The Church of Scotland minister, who campaigned to save Georgian orphan Giorgi Kakava from deportation, said: “We have become almost like the social services. People are having to go to the church to look for food and help heating the house. I find it quite Dickensian.
“In the 21st century, people are having to come and beg the local minister to help them. It is heartbreaking.”
In his newly-launched funding appeal, which is posted on the JustGiving website, Casey said: “In Springburn and the north of Glasgow we have a large number of asylum seekers and refugees who have no hope at this time of year. They live side by side with local people who have little or no money to celebrate Christmas.
“As the parish church, we would like to provide a gift for their children and a Christmas party to bring some festive cheer in an otherwise dark time which would also help to bring together locals and asylum seekers, building support for each other.”
Casey said helping Giorgi – who is in the care of his grandmother following the death of his mother Sopio Baikhadze in February – revealed high levels of local support for marginalised groups.
He said: “We have a responsibility to serve those people from all backgrounds and from all faiths and none.
“I want to bring out that community spirit that I found with Giorgi.”
You can donate to the appeal at: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/springburnchurch.
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