Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Landmark building put to good use
Former bank acts as store for Christmas gift appeal
A landmark Airdrie building is being put to good use this Christmas – as generous residents hand in welcome donations to a community group’s toy bank.
The former Royal Bank of Scotland building on Graham Street is being used to store deposits of a different kind, as Christmas gifts mount up for the festive appeal being run by volunteers from the Stay Connected project, based at St Augustine’s Church in Coatbridge.
Use of the building has been donated by the T1 Group, after its owner Paul Gregory and fellow director Karen Brady learned about the expanding work of the community project and offered to help.
The appeal is also being supported by Bellshill-based Brady’s Butchers, who are offering a collection service to pick up and deliver toys to the appeal headquarters.
Stay Connected toy appeal co-ordinator Patricia Rossi told the Advertiser: “It’s such a great asset and brilliant to have this support – it’s an iconic building and it’s fantastic for us to be able to use it for a good cause.
“We only started collecting here last week and it’s already attracting attention to the refurbished building, especially as there are Christmas lights on it at night.
“People have wanted to know what’s happening in the building and what it’s being used for, and have been able to come in for information about Stay Connected too.
“It’s ideal for us to be able to set up here for a few weeks before Christmas to give the project a base in Airdrie as well, and we’re really grateful for all the donations we’re receiving and the toys that are coming through the door.”
Karen Brady of T1 Group added: “We’ve opened up to collect toys and vouchers for children and teenagers needing our support as a community. We have a ‘Santa needs you’ campaign and the bank is being used for a great purpose.”
Volunteers are accepting donations of new gifts including vouchers for all ages under 18 at the toy bank from 11.30am to 1.30pm and from 5pm to 7pm on weekdays, as well as at Stay Connected’s main base at St Augustine’s Church which is open daily from 11am to 1pm.
The project was established during lockdown to provide food parcels, prescription collections and other assistance to vulnerable and isolating members of the community and is now preparing to distribute both food and gifts for Christmas.
Patricia added: “We’ll be delivering Christmas dinner food parcels to families from December 21, and we’ll deliver the toys and gifts along with them so will match up the donations we have with the information from the referral forms we’ve received.
“We’re looking to get toys and gifts to more than 400 children, and it could even increase further in the next couple of weeks.”
Stay Connected has been supported with donations from numerous Monklands businesses and Brady’s Butchers is also offering to collect donations from residents who contact them by texting “Yes” to 07857 662000 to arrange for the items to be picked up.
Project volunteers can be contacted by emailing: stayconnected coatbridge@ gmail. com; referrals to receive gifts from the toy appeal close tomorrow and details are available through the Stay Connected page on Facebook.