This project examined the role played by one of Oxfam’s Community Partner Organisations in Glasgow – the Tea in the Pot (TITP) Women’s Drop-in Centre and Support Service in Govan. Through a series of focus groups and one-to-one interviews, the project drew extensively on the views of the women who use the services provided by TITP. Employing Ray Oldenburg’s concept of ‘third place’ the research considered the role of TITP in facilitating and fostering social support and (creating) a sense of community for members beyond the home and workplace.

The research found that especially in areas of multiple deprivation and in the face of the retrenchment of public services, voluntary organisations are often the only social spaces open to those on fixed and the low incomes. Listening to the women’s own voices, it has become apparent that TITP meets the criteria of a ‘third place’. Through this collaboration, TITP has been supported in the design and production of promotional materials.

Find the report here; also find a book chapter, published in 2018, on the project here.