Established 2005 Registered Charity No. 1110656

Scottish Charity Register No. SC043760

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June 01 2009
Scottish homeless charity receives lottery funding A Scottish charity which helps homeless people set up their own bank accounts has received a boost from lottery funding. Glasgow-based Grand Central Savings was established in 2001 to help people without a bank account save money and put down deposits for accommodation. With the lottery grant of £269,472, the organisation now plans to open new offices in Aberdeen, Inverclyde and Renfrewshire. Jackie Cropper, the chief executive of Grand Central Savings, commented, "Up till now, a lack of resources has meant that we have only been able to offer our service to people living in the Glasgow area. Now, thanks to the Big Lottery Fund, financially excluded individuals the length and breadth of Scotland will be able to benefit from our operations. Additionally, the award will allow us to expand the range and scope of services on offer, meaning that existing as well as new customers will benefit." It is hoped that the increase in the service will help 3,400 homeless people move into new tenancies. With the assistance of Grand Central Savings, people can set up standing orders to ensure their housing allowance is paid on time, and gain valuable advice on financial management and budgeting. Grand Central Savings customer James Stockdale experienced the benefits of the service first hand when he was living in a homeless hostel and offered a job that required his wages to be paid into a bank account. He said, "I was about to abandon any hope of taking-up the job when a hostel worker heard of my problem and referred me to Grand Central Savings, which he said had been set-up to help people in my position. The staff were really helpful and understanding, and within a matter of minutes I had completed all the arrangements to open an account. Having access to a bank account was the step that allowed me to gain employment and, soon after, my own accommodation."
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