We are needing your help more than ever

This year’s Stirling Observer Give a Gift Appeal needs your help more than ever before.

The appeal, now in its 12th successive year, aims to ensure that local children won’t go without at Christmas - and that they feel safe in the knowledge that their community appreciates their struggles and their bravery.

For many youngsters in our community, every festive season can be difficult – but this year has left them in danger of feeling more isolated than ever.

That’s why we are asking that those who can do so pull out all the stops.

Running since 2008, the appeal receives and distributes donations of toys and gifts for sick, disabled,

needy and disadvantaged children and young people aged from babies to teenagers.

Collected with the kind support of a host of drop-off points across the area, the gifts are distributed via a wide range of charities, large and small, with the aim of ensuring no local child goes without on Christmas morning. This year we will also be distributing gift vouchers and gift cards.

Among the charities and good causes which help to distribute gifts are Stirling Council’s social services, Stirling Young Carers, Home-start Stirling, PLUS, Cornton Vale and Glenochil Family Hubs, Barnardo’s and Stirling Women’s Aid, Forth Valley Royal Hospital’s children’s ward, and Support4families.

The appeal also aims to respond to any one-off approaches from organisations which deal with children or young people whom they feel may be facing a difficult festive season. It also exists to

ease the

pressure many charities face over the festive season, allowing them to put resources they may otherwise have had to use for gifts into their other areas of good work.

While this year has put paid to the usual parties, outings and activities, these charities and causes nevertheless are continuing to support youngsters and their families, thinking outside the box to ensure they still experience some of the magic of Christmas. They are counting on Give A Gift to help them do just that. Observer reporter and appeal organiser Kaiya Marjoribanks said: “The appeal is quite an undertaking for us, particularly as it has grown over the years, but we know it is much appreciated and needed by the charities – who after all are the ones doing the really hard work all year round.

“Families are struggling to feed and clothe their children, and some parents have health issues restricting what they can do for their kids.

“For others, the gifts are a way of letting them know that other people do care about their struggles and appreciate their problems, hopefully making them feel less isolated, particularly at this time of year.

“Little did any of us know, however, that in 2020 the challenge for these children and families was about to become even greater.

“It is more vital than ever that those of us we can help do just that.”

If you would like to organise a collection of gifts at your workplace, school or group, would like to be one of our official drop-off points, or would simply like more information, contact the Observer by phone on (01786) 451110 or 459417 or email: news@stirlingobserver.co.uk or kaiya.marjoribanks@reachplc.com.

We will aim to photograph and feature as many collections as possible in the Observer in the run-up to Christmas.