Target reached! Stretch target: £20,000
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MILK is MOVING!
Glasgow, Glasgow City, United Kingdom
Aim: It's official. We're moving. We're off to a bigger space with better facilities to keep welcoming refugees & building community in Govanhill
Founded in 2014, MILK is a social enterprise set up to support women from migrant backgrounds including refugees and those seeking asylum.
Since our beginning, 452 Victoria Road has been our key site of community engagement. For seven years it was also integral to our financial independence and security as a trading cafe. As our community grew and our support services increased however, the balance slowly tipped from investing more hours in the cafe business to investing more hours in the classes and groups we were hosting.
In August 2022, unable to effectively run both things simultaneously in our little space any more, we made the decision to cease cafe trading and run as a full time community hub.
In the last couple of years our social impact has grown as we've hosted a full timetable of activities to support the women in our community. We've created volunteering opportunities for people and welcomed more community groups into our space, building solid networks of mutual aid. We have also focused more on promoting anti-racist behaviour through peer led education and interactive workshops.
We now have the opportunity to move to a space that will be designed and built to specifically fit the needs of our community. We are working with social enterprise Glasgow Trades Collective to build a hub with a fully accessible toilet, baby changing unit, kids play area, private office for more personal conversations as well as lots of storage. We will be moving a few streets over to Cathcart Road and taking our fairy lights and pompoms with us. We will continue to do as we have always done - work with our community and neighbours to build a space that welcomes everyone.
The work we do is financially supported by our catering business, paid weekend workshops, supper clubs, donations and grant funding. This move will give us a custom designed hub with more space and lower overheads. It will also mean we are next door to our existing Catering Kitchen so our staff and resources will be streamlined.
This is an exciting opportunity and a financially sensible long term decision. We have been working hard to secure grant funding and loans to support the move.
However.
We work in the third sector and cash flow is always tight. We're doing this crowdfunder to give us the best chance of a smooth transition, protect our services from being too disrupted in the move and ensure we're in the best possible position to serve our community from day one in our new home.
Kind words of support...
"MILK is a vital supporting organisation and much-loved community space for New Scot women in the Southside of Glasgow, which continues to evolve and be shaped by women of all ages and backgrounds in creative, supportive and empowering ways." - Monica Laiseca- Scottish Refugee Council
MILK have been a transformational force for good in the Govanhill community for almost a decade. Over the years, thousands have been supported through food, warmth, practical help, encouragement and genuine love. It has also been a safe and welcoming space for marginalised people where racism, xenophobia and hatred would be challenged. Dave Zabiega- Govanhill Community Development Trust
"MILK is an invaluable organisation serving women living in the Southside of Glasgow. We loved partnering with them for our Queens Park Arena workshops in the summer and more recently, our Music Makes Glasgow event." Rollo Strickland- The SoundLab
"MILK is a very special place for me and my creative writing students. It's a warm, inviting and creative space where people really feel like they can be themselves. A total testament to every person who has shaped it over the years, and I can't wait to see what comes next!" Kirsty Strang-Roy - Write Like a Grrrl
***Paolo Raffle to win signed guitar, record and t-shirt will be drawn and announced on Saturday 30th of November.
One donation = One entry.
Only donations using the PAOLO RAFFLE reward button will be counted***