One Big cuppa suits Buddies to a Tea as hub warms the heart Tannahill Centre project a huge hit with the community

A cuppa tea and a slice of community are being served up at the Tannahill Centre as the hub brings people together to face winter challenges.

The centre’s One Big Cuppa T initiative offers people a drink, a meal and some company in a warm and welcoming environment as it urges locals to face the cost-of-living crisis together.

Running between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday, the initiative builds on the warm spaces projects taking place around the country by putting dignity and community at its heart.

And it is working as dozens of people flock to the centre every day to stay warm and, most importantly, socialise.

Lewis Nesbitt, volunteer coordinator at Tannahill Centre, said: “The T in One Big Cuppa T stands for Tannahill and the one big cup is a reference to the fact we are all in the same boat.

“We are all having to make cutbacks and hard choices in our lives. We want people to know we can face those challenges together.”

He added: “Dignity and respect is at the heart of everything we do.

“People don’t need to feel things like this are only there for people who can’t heat their homes or eat from their wages.

“If you’re at home yourself during the day, maybe you’re older, you’re not working or waiting for kids to come home from school, why not come here and put your heat on in the evening when you might have a full house?”

People are also offered the chance to gain new skills as part of the scheme, with spots in training courses such as first aid and food hygiene being run at the Tannahill Centre.

Crucially for Lewis and the volunteers, the project is continuing to bring the residents of Ferguslie Park together following the Covid-19 pandemic.

He added: “One Big Cuppa T has made the centre feel so much more social again.

“People are together enjoying a cuppa, some soup or toast and having a chat.

“It has a great cafe vibe – it is no pity party.”

The new project has been made possible thanks to grants and donations from organisations such as the Mears Foundation, Engage Renfrewshire and the Scottish Government.

The charitable arm of the Mears Group, Mears Foundation helped kickstart the programme with a £1,550 donation, with the additional grants allowing the Tannahill Centre to extend the offering until later in the year.

Lewis said: “Thanks to this support not only have we created a warm and welcoming space, we are able to significantly reduce isolation and loneliness within the community as well as ensure everyone has access to a warm meal.

“With this initial success, we are able to push this to new funders and expand the provision.

“We are also waiting to hear back from the National Lottery if we have been successful in winning a grant from them, too.”

The Mears Foundation offered financial backing to the Tannahill project after its success had been shared with employees of the business.

Jamie Lee Ward, partnerships manager at Mears Group, said: “We all know how difficult things are just now and we wanted to help to make sure that people in the community can keep warm.

“We were thrilled when the Mears Foundation awarded funding to this project and are so pleased that the community centre has been able to create a space where people can come to keep warm, learn new skills and have some company this winter.”

it has a great cafe vibe .. this is no pity party .. dignity and respect is focus of everything we do