Observer launches its annual appeal for gifts
Three new charities will join this year’s beneficiaries
Charities across Stirling are hoping to benefit once again from the Stirling Observer’s annual Give A Gift Appeal.
Three new charities have also come on board this year.
Families supported by Strathcarron Hospice and children helped by its bereavement service, Forth Valley Royal Hospital’s Children’s Ward, and the new Stirling Down’s Syndrome Parent and Toddler Group are this year added to the beneficiaries.
Among other charities and good causes which help to distribute the gifts donated every year are Stirling Young Carers; Home-Start Stirling which supports families with young children going through difficult times; Stirling Women’s Aid; Stirling Council social services; PLUS,the local organisation which provides social opportunities for children and young people with disabilities; Cornton Vale and Glenochil Family Help Hubs who work with the children of those who have been imprisoned; and foodbank charity Start-Up Stirling.
The appeal has been running since 2008, receiving and distributing donations of toys and gifts for sick, disabled, needy and disadvantaged children and young people at Christmas.
Collected at our offices in Upper Craigs and with the generous support of a host of drop-off points across the area, the gifts aim to ensure no local child goes without on Christmas morning and that those children and their families going through difficult times know their community has them in their thoughts.
The appeal also exists to ease the pressure many of the charities face over the festive season and allow them to put resources they may otherwise have had to use for gifts into their other areas of good work.
Observer reporter Kaiya Marjoribanks said: “Already gifts and offers of donations are starting to come in. With even more charities to support this year who hope our readers will be as generous as ever. Every year we are amazed at people’s kindness and how they respond to the appeal and we know many of the charities involved have come to rely on being able to benefit from the items donated.
If you would like to organise a collection of gifts for the appeal via your business, workplace, school or group, would like to be one of our official drop off points or would simply like more information, please feel free to contact the Stirling Observer by phone on (01786) 451110 or 459417 or email news@stirlingobserver. co.uk or kaiya.marjoribanks@ trinitymirror.com.
While a number of workplaces and schools are hugely supportive of Give A Gift, individuals also answer the call in their droves, dropping gifts off at various places which kindly agree each year to be collection venues.
Drop off points can be found at: STIRLING: Stirling Observer office, 34 Upper Craigs; BALFRON: Balfron Library; BANNOCKBURN: Bannockburn Post Office; BRIDGE OF ALLAN: Tree House, Henderson Street; CALLANDER: Clanranald Trust, former St Kessog’s Church, Ancaster Square; DUNBLANE: Beech Tree Cafe, 2 Beech Road; Dunblane Centre, Stirling Road.