A ‘life-saving’ support service for some of Dundee’s most vulnerable people is to expand in the city.
Community outreach programme, Taught By Muhammad, will soon launch two more support cafes in some of Dundee’s most deprived areas.
As well as serving up free, three-course meals, the cafes provide a chance for people to get advice from professionals and charities on issues such as their health and government welfare.
The new Fintry and Kirkton cafes will add to those in Charleston and Douglas, with around 800 people expected to attend the four each month.
Rizwan Rafiq, from Taught by Muhammad, said he hears regular tales detailing how much the cafes have changed lives.
He said: “One person in Charleston who visited one of our support cafés had not been to the dentist for 15 years because he had a phobia.
“The community nurse took him to the dentist and held his hand to make sure he got the treatment he needed.
“Another woman’s life was saved after she told us she had a number of health difficulties and still felt ill after visiting her GP.
“A community nurse from the NHS saw to her and referred her straight away.
“She was operated on almost immediately as her condition was life-threatening.
“She now says that she may not have survived if it wasn’t for her getting help from the support cafe.”
The charity decided to launch the new cafes after a consultation revealed no similar services were available in the two areas.
Rizwan added: “It’s about getting people a hot meal that they otherwise may not get.
“But it’s also about building up trust with people who may not have anyone to help them.
“Anyone can end up socially isolated in society. It’s not just older people.
“Everyone is welcome to come along to get a meal, confide in one of the volunteers, or just meet new people.”
The Fintry support cafe will start on Wednesday May 16 and will be held at the Finmill Centre from 12-2.
The other will take place at Kirkton Community Centre starting on Thursday May 24 from 1pm-3pm. To volunteer with the support cafes, contact info@taughtbymuhammad.com
