A LIFELINE group helping some of the most vulnerable people in Glasgow fears it will be unable to support members after being refused funding.

Uniting Nations in Scotland (UNIS) receives money from the Big Lottery and Foundation Scotland to provide two weekly drop-in sessions in Maryhill and Pollok.

But organisers say they are increasingly having to volunteer chunks of free time to support refugees and asylum seekers, including Syrian nationals who have arrived in Glasgow through the settlement programme.

UNIS applied for funding from the Scottish Government equality fund - managed by the Voluntary Action Fund (VAF) - in order to set up a daily support group and specialist advocacy services to deal with the pressures.

But their application was refused - and now the coordinators, who set up UNIS in 2013, fear they will have to end the support.

One of the co-founders Ahlam Souidi - an Evening Times Community Champion - said: "When we started the group there were about 10 members and that included the very first Syrians refugees who were dispersed to Glasgow in 2013.

"Then later the influx of Syrians refugees started to come in.

"Now we have more than 70 members from Syria, Sudan, Eritrea and other nationalities and they all need help to move on, settle into life here and there is just no information available to them.

"They are desperate, they have come from war, abuse, and UNIS has become trusted friends to these vulnerable people."

Ms Souidi said the needs of the members were "huge and sensitive".

She added: "I, along with other volunteers, are visiting members at their homes every day.

"We are interpreting interviews and forms, helping them get access to health services, benefits, education, training, housing and employment,

"They are very confused and are at risk with it all.

"I was in their shoes 15 years ago when I came from Algeria, I know what it is like being in a new country and everything is strange."

Ms Souidi called on the Government to put funding in place urgently.

She said: "The Government wants to integrate people from their first day but without the funding this cannot be possible or achieved.

"Integration networks are feeling very frustrated as we are the people working directly with refugees in the ground, and see everyday their challenges.

"We need funding immediately and I would appeal for any sponsors to come forward so we can carry on this work."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said they recognised the "valuable contribution" that UNIS made, adding: "We receive hundreds of applications for our equality funding and unfortunately are not able to accommodate all requests.

"As a relatively new organisation, UNIS has not yet fully developed the capacity needed to deliver Scottish Government funded projects.

"Through the Voluntary Action Fund, we will offer UNIS development support to ensure they are able to grow and, while they were not successful on this occasion, we would encourage them to apply again in future."