An organisation to help people get home safe is facing closure after failing to secure funding.
Strut Safe was founded by five Edinburgh University students in the wake of the horrific murder of Sarah Everard. Starting out in the capital city, it soon expanded UK-wide offering a helpline that people can phone when they are walking home.
The non-profit organisation offers assistance, support and phone emergency services on behalf of the person phoning if needed.
READ NEXT- Edinburgh Playhouse boss goes on epic rant after staff 'spat on' by theatre goers
In 2022, over 156 nights, Strut Safe volunteers spent 2680 minutes and 54 seconds on the phone with people as they walked home and the organisation has created a fundraiser in a bid to keep phone lines open.
Speaking exclusively to Edinburgh Live, Strut Safe founder Alice Jackson, 23, said: "People are incredibly supportive of the work that we do, but unfortunately we haven't received any government funding. We've had the most support from individuals - people who use our services. It's so nice and heartening, it makes me emotional thinking about it.
"Strut Safe is there as a preventative measure and there's nothing else like it. Some people might criticise us and say 'what's a phone call going to do', but we know it provides even just a level of personal security for that person. But we know we can provide an account for someone and we know a phone call can deter people.
"One call that really stuck out for me was when one woman was walking home, and she phoned and said that she thought she was being followed. She told us where she was and what she was wearing in case something happened. Fortunately she got home safe. But it might not have been like that.
Alice added: "We get phone calls from people as young 11-years-old walking home, their mum has given them this number in case they need it, or its been shared in schools. And that really reminds me of my experiences of when I was younger.
Without funding, Alice worries the service will have to close. She wants to expand Strut Safe further and open the phone lines through the whole week - currently it's only open on Friday, Saturday, Sunday. To do that they need more resources, money for background checks for volunteers, and funds to keep the website and phone lines runnings.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government is investing record levels of funding, including significant levels of funding in frontline services, to ensure we have services to support women and girls who have been affected by violence.
“Our Delivering Equally Safe Fund has already provided £9.5 million over six months to 121 projects working to tackle this issue, having supported almost 20,000 people.
“Unfortunately as Strut Safe was only established in March 2021, it was not able to apply to the most recent Delivering Equally Safe funding round.”
You can donate to Strut Safe on gofundme.
READ NEXT-
Edinburgh Dance Base cut classes and warn of job losses due to 350 per cent bill rise
Sprawling Edinburgh mansion that was top secret RAF HQ during Second World War
Incredible throwback video shows Edinburgh fish and chip shop in the 1960s
Edinburgh Airport car parking prices from short and long stay to drop off and fast track
Scottish man wins neighbour war over 40ft trees that made his life 'a misery'
