Supporters club help charities reach their goals
‘It is good to see that a big football club can reach out to outlying communities in this time of need’
Oban No1 Celtic Supporters Club are turning their attendion towards local charities after receiving a £5,000 donation from the Celtic FC Foundation.
The money has been split between New Hope Kitchen and the St Vincent de Paul Society who will use it to help vulnerable members of the community through the current coronavirus situation.
Supporters Club president John Neil MacInnes said: ‘We are more than happy to do what we can to help local people who find themselves in a difficult situation, especially at this time.
‘It is also good to see that a big football club can reach out to outlying communities in a time of need.’
Formed in 1950, the Oban Supporters Club travel regularly to Celtic Park to watch their team perform on the pitch, but in between matches the group distributes funding to local and international charities through the Celtic FC Foundation.
Last year they sponsored a kitchen in Malawi through Mary’s Meals while also donating to numerous other local causes.
This most recent donation saw £2,500 go to Hope Kitchen to enable the charity to distribute food parcels to various local families and individuals.
Catriona Petit, service manager for Hope, said: ‘We are really encouraged by the amazing generosity of our community.
‘Celtic supporters club have helped us a lot in the past and at this difficult time for so many people it is so good to have their financial help.
‘This will enable us to go and do a weekly shop and get in all the essentials that we need to go with our other donations.
‘The speed of their response was also very useful as it has meant we can respond to people in crisis quickly too.’
The remaining £2,500 was given to the St Vincent de Paul Society which is a national charity run by the Catholic Church, with the local branch here in Oban helping families at this time of need.