The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Fears over charity toy shortage in Fife
As donations plummet, organisers warn needy youngsters face Christmas misery
Hundreds of local youngsters could face a bleak Christmas as a charity revealed it is desperate for donations.
The Gift of Christmas Appeal Fife has received only a fraction of the donations it had been given by kind-hearted members of the public at this time last year.
As the charity, which works to ensure every needy child in Fife has a present to open on Christmas Day, has more than 600 youngsters on its list, it fears many will be disappointed this festive season.
Katherine Hope said: “It’s not been very good, we are just not getting as many donations as last year.
“We have had very little so far and our warehouse is sitting here nearly empty.”
Katherine, along with other Freuchie mums Hilary Haman, Sarah Brown and Charlotte Lever, stepped in last year to establish the appeal following the demise of Fife’s Spirit of Christmas project which closed after two highly successful years.
In its first year it gave out around 1,300 gift bags to Fife children who might otherwise not have had a present from Santa on Christmas morning, thanks to the generosity of locals.
While the list of children is shorter this year, that is only because the charity has reorganised its system. It’s believed last time several agencies may have referred the same youngster.
Despite that, hundreds could go without as goodies have only trickled in in small quantities to the appeal, which has 10,000 Facebook members.
There are 50 drop off points around the kingdom.
The deadline for dropping off gifts is next Saturday, so time is running out.
To help and for information about drop off points and donations visit the website facebook.com/giftofchristmasappealfife.