Red Road women become family

Expanded premises and a change of name have enabled Red Road Women’s Centre to welcome more men.

The centre in Balornock, has been reborn as the Red Road Family Centre and is now attracting men from an array of cultures to use its huge range of services.

Around 1600 people a month visit the one-stop-shop on Red Road. First opened in a flat at the base of a Red Road tower block in 1996, it provides everything from childcare to financial, legal and debt advice, counselling, acupuncture and photography classes.

June Aird, Outreach Project Worker, said: ‘It wasn’t that men weren’t allowed in before – we did have a few men who came in for help with various problems – but now that we’re a family centre, we have more men coming in and attending our classes such as computing.

‘The place was becoming more like a family centre, and since we changed the name, we haven’t looked back.

‘We try to help with any issue or any problem which is brought through the door. If we don’t have the answer, we will signpost people in the right direction.’

The family centre in Red Road receives funding from the Glasgow North East Community Planning Board.

Bailie Jim Todd, who chairs the Board, said: ‘The Red Road Family Centre is a real community hub providing a huge range of services to local residents. The dedicated staff do a superb job helping local people with practical and emotional problems. I’m glad that more men have been encouraged by the centre’s change of name, to take advantage of this facility.’