A Scots store proprietor has been handing out free 'sleeping pods' for homeless individuals in a bid to save lots of lives this winter.
Gerard McKenzie-Govan, 41, runs the Blankfaces nonprofit clothes store in Glasgow's West Finish which additionally doubles up as a drop in centre for these in want.
He ordered a batch of the pods after listening to they had been being made by inmates at Addiewell Jail in West Lothian and hopes they'll play an element in serving to individuals survive the chilly streets of Glasgow and essentially the most gruelling time of the yr for these with nowhere else to go.
Talking to the Each day Document, Gerard mentioned: "We have now already given out just a few of the sleeping pods since we began stocking them final week.
"We have had nice suggestions from homeless charities engaged on the streets. They're saying that the pods are being put to good use and are simple to hold round and assemble.
"They arrive in a rucksack with a bamboo body and are easy to fold down and pop up once more.
"There may be insulation inside them and they're waterproof on the skin.
"We predict they might save lives this winter and are giving them out freed from cost to anybody wanting them."
The Blankfaces is the UK's first trend model aimed toward ending homelessness. The shop sells merchandise designed by somebody who's homelessness or has skilled homelessness. The designer then will get a share of every product bought.
On the finish of the yr, all the cash generated goes again into grassroots homeless charities throughout Glasgow.
Gerard's charitable efforts began when his mum Margaret handed away in 2018 and he wished to do one thing in her reminiscence.
Margaret volunteered in Africa earlier than Gerard was born however she then settled in Ayrshire and began up her personal homeless hostel.
Gerard mentioned that rising up in that atmosphere and studying from the instance set by his mum has made him the person he's at the moment.
He continued: "When my mum died I made a decision I needed to do one thing to hold on her good work.
"I began out simply happening to the Lodging Home Mission in Glasgow and hanging round with the blokes and doing what I might to assist.
"I received the concept to start out designing garments and donate the income to homeless causes from talking to individuals down there. It began off with just a few t-shirts and the store finally developed from that."
Gerard's Glasgow store opened in 2020 and this yr, after launching a pop-up retailer in Manchester, he's proud to have the ability to assist extra individuals than ever earlier than.
He added: "We simply need to attempt to attain an increasing number of individuals in want. Homeless persons are our focus, our precedence and the rationale why we exist."
HMP Addiewell have been making the pods since 2021 and have already distributed lots of all through Scotland.
Fraser Munro, Jail Director, mentioned: “HMP Addiewell is proud to be supporting essentially the most susceptible members of our society by way of our work with the charity, Sleep Pods, who design one-person emergency shelters for tough sleepers in extreme climate situations.
“We’re actually delighted with our colleagues and prisoners who've gone above and past to assist this vital initiative - many prisoners are all too conscious of the problems surrounding homelessness and are eager to assist.”
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