Since we first opened our doors in 2020, Anne Hope House has provided life-changing support and a warm, safe home for over 60 women at risk of homelessness.
We’re delighted to be welcoming our first guest at Anne Hope’s “sister project” in Glasgow this coming week. Grace House has been undergoing renovations and is now ready to open its doors to women in need of accommodation and support.
“Grace House is a home. It’s not a homeless hostel. It’s not a unit. It’s a home.”
With a brand-new team of women, Emily Millar, Grace House Manager, is excited to get started: “I want people to be at home the moment they walk through the door. I want them to know they are safe, that they belong, that they are at home. And that goes for guests, staff and everyone who contributes. It’s a gift to be able to do that.”
This approach speaks to the most important aspect of the project: it is about more than simply putting a roof over someone’s head. As Laura McNamee, Head of Cluster for Anne Hope House, Grace House and Bethany House puts it, “Grace House is a home. It’s not a homeless hostel. It’s not a unit. It’s a home.”
Grace House has been established for women who’ve experienced trauma. The house provides recovery-oriented support with accommodation for up to 8 women at a time. Residents willing to take part can engage in a 15-week therapeutic programme that will help them to overcome this trauma, learn lessons from life, and try to rebuild a new hope.
Trauma can come through in many ways. For some this could be linked to addiction, some through domestic abuse, childhood experiences and mental health difficulties. For most, the trauma they experience today is a combination of all of these things.
We developed Grace House as part of our 2024 strategic plan and were blown away by the passion that people showed in response. We have established a lot of services in Glasgow for well over a decade now, supporting people at their point of need, and we are thrilled to be able to launch Grace House as part of this same shared mission in the west.
At the heart of our latest national strategic plan, Dwelling Place 2030, is the image of a true “home” – a place of safety, warmth, and welcome, grounded on firm foundations. This “home” is more than just a building; it is a sanctuary where fullness of life and opportunity abound for people, with positive future options and the opportunity to share living hope in community.
We are pleased to announce the opening of Grace House. Please join us prayer and support for all those involved.