Your Give a Gift donations make such a difference to the work of local charities like PLUS Forth Valley
Another charity has been explaining how generous readers of the Stirling Observer have helped them provide some festive cheer to youngsters for more than a decade.
Stirling-based PLUS Forth Valley, which provides fun and social activities for children and young people with disabilities, has been one of the beneficiaries of the Observer’s Give A Gift Appeal since the Christmas toy drive began 11 years ago.
The charity’s CEO Susan Fullerton described this week how being able to choose from a wide range of gifts is so important, particularly for those they support.
“It is such a delight to be able to offer the children and some of the adults we support a small gift before we break up for the Christmas period,”said Susan.
“Seeing the twinkle in their eye and the surprise and excitement that continues to build throughout the month of December is truly wonderful.
“It may feel like a small gesture to the donors, but to the children and their families it helps to create a special moment and as always, many happy memories.
“Our staff take time to consider the gifts we select and allocate – many children with disabilities are perhaps not into age appropriate toys and games. They may enjoy sensory toys – with flashing lights, moving parts and different textures. Others on the other hand can have quite specific interests such as trains, cars, super heroes, playing‘house’. We use our knowledge of the children to select based on their interests, and this extra thought has added impact for them as well.”
While the festive season is a time of joy for many families, it can be a difficult time for others says Susan.
“Christmas is such a great time of the year for so many people, but for some of the families we support, over holiday periods, they lose the normal Monday to Friday routine that school term times bring. It can be an overwhelming period with major sensory overload – the music, the atmosphere, the decorations, lots of lights which typically wouldn’t be there and peoples’clothing changes etc.
“The ability to show families that we care provides them with a small boost to help them navigate the festive period.”
People right across the Stirling area are already joining in the effort to give sick, disabled, needy and disadvantaged children and young people a better Christmas through the Give A Gift Appeal.
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; Stirling Council social services; PLUS; Stirling Interfaith Community Justice Group, which helps families and children at the Family Help Hubs at Cornton Vale and Glenochil; Support4Families, which supports those affected by a relative’s substance abuse including kinship carers; Barnardo’s; KiDS group for children with Down’s Syndrome; and Forth Valley Royal Hospital children’s ward.
The aim is to give children new toys and gifts, ranging from babies right up to teenagers. Charities often have particular children in mind to choose for so ideally they should be unwrapped, and if handing in cuddly toys these should ideally be either boxed or still have labels as for health and safety reasons.