Still time to Give a Gift
Readers have just a few days left to make their donations to our annual Stirling Observer Give A Gift Appeal.
Charities will descend on the Observer offices next week to choose gifts for the children and young people they support.
Already individuals, organisations and businesses have been lending their support to the effort, which aims to ensure Christmas is a little brighter for sick, needy, disabled and disadvantaged children and young people across the Stirling area.
Among those backing the appeal are Springkerse-based industrial equipment supplier Blue Scotland, whose team this week presented us with a host of goodies.
Managing director Austin Carey said:“It’s a pleasure and a privilege to support the Stirling Observer Give a Gift campaign this year and help disadvantaged children in our surrounding community.
“We know that these will be distributed to some of the many worthy charities in the area and hopefully bring a smile to the faces of as many children as possible this Christmas.”
The team at Nationwide in Stirling’s Port Street have also answered the call.
As well as donating gifts from their staff and customers, the building society is also acting as a drop-off point for the appeal where readers can pop in and deposit their gifts.
The branch is also supporting Start Up Stirling and take in donations for their foodbank appeal.
Nationwide Stirling branch manager David Wilson said:“We are delighted that across Scotland all of our branches are supporting their community by coordinating efforts to support children at Christmas and have supported foodbank appeals over the year.
“The response in Stirling has been fantastic and we would like to thank all our members and the community for their support.”
Where possible donations for the Stirling Observer Give A Gift Appeal should be at drop-off points by 5pm onTuesday.
Among the 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; Barnardos; Stirling Council social services; Plus, which provides social opportunities for children and young people with disabilities; Cornton Vale and Glenochil Family Support Hubs; and foodbank charity Start-Up Stirling.
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 have also been added to the beneficiaries this year.
Collected at our offices in Upper Craigs and with the 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 those going through difficulties know they are acknowledged by others.
Drop off points can be found at: STIRLING: Stirling Observer, 34 Upper Craigs; Nationwide Building Society, Port Street; The Peak Leisure Centre; 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.