West Lothian Courier

Festive campaign to share kindness

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The Centre, Livingston, has launched a new campaign to encourage everyone to give the gift of kindness this Christmas.

The shopping mall has kicked-off its Gift of Kindness campaign to help spread some festive cheer and raise awareness and funds for its charity partner, Tiny Changes.

The mental health charity was set-up in memory of Frightened Rabbit frontman, Scott Hutchison in 2019 by Scott’s two brothers, Neil and Grant and mum Marion to raise awareness about children and young people’s mental health.

It aims to build a community of ‘tiny change makers’, working together to help young minds feel better.

The Centre’s Gift of Kindness campaign includes a Spirit of Christmas giant mural displayed in the mall which features a collage of photos entered into a competitio­n by shoppers showcasing their happiest festive memories, from baby’s first Christmas and sledging to decorated trees and houses, to help capture this special time of year.

The mural has a QR code where shoppers can donate directly to the Tiny Changes Just Giving page or in a piggy bank nearby.

Shoppers can also buy a special Tiny Changes Gift of Kindness Gift Card starting from £5 at the Customer Services Desk and add their own message of kindness, with all donations from the gift cards being presented to the charity on Monday, December 21, to buy Christmas gifts for youngsters they have supported this year.

As a thank you, The Centre is giving everyone who donates a Gift of Kindness Gift Card to Tiny Changes when in the mall, a gift of chocolate coins.

For shoppers who are planning to buy The Centre Gift Cards for family and friends online, they will also have the chance to take part in the campaign by adding £1 or £2 to their transactio­ns which will go directly to the charity.

Neil said: “We are hugely grateful to the team at The Centre, Livingston for running this fantastic Gift of Kindness campaign for us, which will really help the charity to raise awareness and funds in the run up to Christmas. We know how

important early interventi­on is which is why we want to build and support a community of organisati­ons to help raise voices and inspire change that will transform young people’s mental health in Scotland. The mural is a fantastic way to bring some festive joy to shoppers and the Gift of Kindness gift cards will really help us to strengthen our mission to change how young people in Scotland are affected by mental health issues.

“We want to see a Scotland where young people are listened to when they talk about their mental health and can access the support they need, when they need it and where children’s mental health issues

do not prevent people from fulfilling their potential as adults.”

Ashley Bisland, deputy centre director at The Centre, said: “We are delighted to launch our Gift of Kindness campaign at The Centre, Livingston, to help spread some festive cheer in the mall in the run up to Christmas and raise awareness and funds, with our gift card donations for our charity partner, Tiny Changes. This year has been a difficult one for so many people which is why we are hoping our giant mural featuring beautiful pictures of our shoppers favourite festive moments will bring a smile to people’s faces when they see it.”

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Ashley Bisland of The Centre launches the Gift of Kindness campaign
Spreading festive cheer Ashley Bisland of The Centre launches the Gift of Kindness campaign

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