EK travel staff team up with national charity
ANDREA LAMBROU
Barrhead Travel’s East Kilbride branch has partnered with Barnardo’s for the second year in a row to give some of the most disadvantaged children in Scotland a gift this Christmas.
This year the company more than doubled their donations, providing 500 gifts to children and young people across various levels of care including children with learning and physical disabilities, mental health issues, children in care, families in crisis and those suffering in their home environment.
Each member of the team is matched with a child from a local Barnardo’s Centre who has written a short wish list of gifts they would like from Santa this year. Wishes included pyjamas, toiletries, card games and dolls.
Barrhead Travel employees posed as Santa and his helper as they embarked on their annual Santa Run; delivering donated gifts to Barnardo’s centres, meeting the support team and finding out more ways they can help.
Lee Johnstone, fundraising lead for Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “The generosity of Barrhead Travel employees throughout Scotland who have donated some wonderful presents to children and young people we support in the communities local to each of their stores has been incredibly heartwarming.
“Christmas is unfortunately not always the special and magical time it should be for some but thanks to Barrhead Travel staff’s kindness, the children receiving these gifts won’t go without.
“Thank you so much to all who contributed, we are so thankful and rest assured they are going to great homes.”
Jacqui Kelly, Barrhead Travel East Kilbride manager, said: “We hope that the gifts we’ve bought can put a smile on children’s faces this Christmas morning.
“Hand picking from their wish list made the experience so personal.
“The team really went the extra mile and I am so proud of them for the generosity they have shown, it has inspired us to do more.”