More than 100,000 gifts and food parcels donated
The g e n e r o s i t y o f t h e S c o ttish public means that up to 250,000 gifts and food parcels will be delivered this Christmas thanks to Social Bite’s Festival of Kindness campaign.
T h e i n i t i a t i v e w h i c h launched at the end of November was a bid to spread some much-needed festive goodwill and kindness.
Scots were asked to donate meals, gifts and accommodation for those who need it most this Christmas.
Two 10 - me t r e t a l l C h r i s t - mas trees were set up in Edinburgh’s St Andrew Square and
Glasgow’s Vinicombe Street for people across the country to drop a gift under them and contribute to a movement of kindness.
The conference centre in the former headquar ters of the Royal Bank of Scotland at Gogarburn is currently home to the campaign who have been inundated with donations.
The public as well as corporate supporters have supplied more than up to 250,000 gifts and food parcels to those who have been hit hardest this year and are most in need and last minute donations are expected in the coming days.
The charity, which has an aim to end homelessness through their project also works closely with local community groups and schools which have been able to request foo d parcels and gifts.
The charity has said that this year i n p a r t i c u l a r, wi t h t h e knock on effects of Covid-19 restrictions causing many to lose their jobs and not be able to get out, there has b een a huge increase in demand for food and gifts.
Babs Haig, part of the Social Impact team at S ocial Bite is overseeing management of the warehouse at Gogarburn, she said: “The generosity has been overwhelming, it’s been incredible and a real privilege to b e able to help like this. I had not expected the amount of asks from local community groups.
“There are so many people in need this year that we have been able to help through the Festival of Kindness, for example a single mother with five children who had no food or presents for Christmas, we’ve been able to make up food parcels and select some gifts to be delivered.
“This is about dignity, nothing we’ve received is cheap, it’s all about giving people in need new things that they need and the amount of donations has been a real eye-opener.