KIND-HEARTED Glaswegians are being asked to help buy Christmas dinners for the city's homeless in a festive charity appeal.

The Glasgow City Mission have launched their Christmas fundraising drive, urging generous residents to donate cash to help fund the cost of a hot meal for the more than 200 homeless people.

The charity, which works all year round to provide support, shelter, food and activities for hundreds of homeless people, have asked for a £7 donation which would buy a Christmas meal for one person.

Helping support this year's drive is Billy, a former service user who now volunteers with the charity.

He said he faced problems from the age of 8, when his baby sister died and his life spiralled out of control for decades afterwards, until the charity finally helped him.

Billy said: "I went off the rails and got involved in crime and drugs. This chaos went on until I was 40. I was living on the streets and a friend asked if I wanted to come to Glasgow City Mission for a cup of tea. I met Joe, a project worker, and he told me about rehab.

"I’d promised my kids I’d come off drugs but never ever done it."

After 2 weeks of attending the city mission, Billy's life started to change with the help of the staff and now, four years later, he has a social work qualification and is free from drugs.

He added: " I volunteer here because the people in here reached out to me and gave me a way out – I want to help others do the same thing. The best thing you can do this Christmas is to show love to people. Someone showed love to me and that’s what changed me.

"Hopefully it won’t just be one person’s life you’re touching, it’ll be many."

Graham Steven, fundraising manager at the City Mission, said: “Christmas should be a time of celebration but sadly we know that for many of the people we care for at Glasgow City Mission it will be anything but.

"Caught in a desperate cycle of homelessness, addiction, broken relationships and lack of prospects, Christmas is just another day for too many.

"Our approach is to provide practical care on an individual basis, treating each person with love and dignity and asking how we can help.

"Our drop-in clubs and daytime activities seek to address the root causes and rebuild people’s confidence, skills and self-esteem.

"Whilst we provide a great range of services, we find its building relationships with people that are the most significant catalyst for change and showing them love and care. "

To donate to the city mission to help with Christmas meals, visit www.glasgowcitymission.com/christmas, or you can send a cheque payable to ‘Glasgow City Mission’ to Freepost Glasgow City Mission, or call 0141 221 2630