Refuweegee

{{Short description|Glasgow-based charity}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

Refuweegee is a charity, launched in December 2015, to provide assistance to refugees as they arrive in Glasgow, Scotland.{{cite web | url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19033496.refuweegee-glasgow-charity-stepping-support-city/ | title=Refuweegee: Glasgow charity stepping up to support their city | author=Lois Mackenzie | date=22 January 2021 | work=The Herald | accessdate=2021-12-24 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/14900934.syrians-to-be-welcomed-to-scotlands-biggest-city-with-refuweegee-packs-containing-letters-from-locals/ | title=Syrians to be welcomed to Scotland's biggest city with ‘refuweegee’ packs containing letters from locals | author=Susan Wilson | date=15 December 2015 | work=The National | accessdate=2021-12-25 }} The charity provides welcome packages to every refugee that arrives in the city that include essentials like food, blankets and toiletries, items that are emblematic of the city like a “People Make Glasgow” umbrella, and finally a personal welcome letter written by a local. The charity provides other services, for example, it has provided Glasgow City Council’s “Trafficking Awareness Raising Alliance (TARA)” service with, alongside other groups, digital devices to survivors of human trafficking.{{cite web | url=https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/correspondence/2018/03/human-trafficking-exploitation-newsletters/documents/human-trafficking-newsletter---october-2020/human-trafficking-newsletter---october-2020/govscot%3Adocument/Human%2BTrafficking%2B-%2BCommunications%2B-%2BNewsletter%2B-%2BOctober%2B2020%2B-%2BPublisher.pdf | title=Human Trafficking and Exploitation Newsletter | date=October 2020 | work=Scottish Government | accessdate=2021-12-25 }}

The charity has received donations from Tunnock's, and Glasgow City Marketing Board. Celtic F.C. Foundation has made a donation each year since 2017,{{cite web | url=https://www.celticfc.com/news/13637 | title=Refuweegee donation from Celtic FC Foundation | date=5 December 2017 | work=Celtic Football Club | accessdate=2021-12-25 }} and {{as of|2021|lc=y}} continues to make annual donations.{{cite web | url=https://charity.celticfc.com/news/christmas-appeal-supporting-charities-around-the-country/ | title=Christmas Appeal supporting charities around the country | date=14 December 2021 | work=Celtic Football Club | accessdate=2021-12-25 }}

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, the charity also started providing support packages to people who were struggling to get by. Glasgow's North East Food Bank donated stock to be included in these packages. As demand for their support increased, the Scottish Government provided funding to allow the service to continue.{{cite web | url=https://www.gov.scot/publications/immediate-priorities-fund-organisations-funded/ | title=Immediate Priorities Fund: organisations funded | date=8 June 2020 | work=Scottish Government | accessdate=2021-12-25 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.gov.scot/news/funding-to-prevent-destitution-during-covid-19/ | title=Funding to prevent destitution during Covid-19 | date=16 November 2020 | work=Scottish Government | accessdate=2021-12-25 }}

The charity was found by Selina Hales in response to the news of refugees of the Syrian civil war being taken in and homed in Glasgow. In recognition of her work Hales was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society.{{cite web | url=https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/founder-refuweegee-recognised-same-fellowship-15802692 | title=Founder of Refuweegee recognised with the same fellowship as Sir David Attenborough | author=Isaac Callan | date=8 February 2019 | work=GlasgowLive | accessdate=2021-12-25 }}