Here’s how to help our Give a Gift effort
We are asking everyone who can do so to support our annual Stirling Observer Give A Gift Appeal to ensure children don’t go without on Christmas morning.
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.
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.
Observer reporter and appeal organiser Kaiya Marjoribanks said: “Last year was a particularly challenging year for everyone but we were overwhelmed with the support the appeal received, allowing us to help even more good causes than ever before.
“This year many of those challenges still remain, and indeed new ones have emerged as charities are called upon more than ever and more and more families are using foodbanks and struggling to pay the bills.
Gift advice and drop-off points for festive appeal
“Given the challenges everyone has faced, while people’s willingness to support Give A Gift may be strong, we can’t be sure how many of our usual supporters are able to do so again, which is understandable.
“All we are asking is that those who can donate do donate what they comfortably can.
“Whether faced with a health issue, poverty, or struggling with family circumstances, the appeal is always a way to show these vulnerable but brave young people that they are not as isolated as they might think, and that their community cares.
“Let’s make sure when Santa climbs down their chimneys this Christmas he doesn’t go in empty handed.”
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 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.
•Toys and gifts – Gifts should be new and unused and left unwrapped. This year we would ask supporters not to donate cuddly toys if possible as the charities may have difficulty placing these for health and hygiene reasons.
•Vouchers – Given the current pandemic, we are also giving the option of donating gift cards and vouchers to offer some flexibility to both those donating and to the charities. Please mail vouchers and cards, marked Stirling Observer Toy Appeal, c/o Kaiya Marjoribanks, Mailroom, One Central Quay, Glasgow, G3 8DA. Please include details of the value of the gift card or voucher. If you would like a confirmation of receipt, provide your name and postal address or email address.
•Drop-off points - The Observer office is closed for the time being and will not act as one of the drop-off points this year. However, we are grateful to the many other drop -off points who will be happy to accept the items.
These include: STIRLING – Morrisons supermarket, Springkerse Retail Park; Barber Co, 20 Upper Craigs FK8 2DG; Nationwide Building Society, Port Street; Jintz Express, 1, 5 Munro Rd, Stirling FK7 7SY; BALFRON Andrew Anderson & Sons, 64B Buchanan Street G63 0TW; BANNOCKBURN – Jintz Express/Post Office, 17 Quakerfield; CALLANDER Tesco Express, Main Street; DUNBLANE – Beech Tree Cafe, 2 Beech Road; FALLIN - Tesco Express, Stirling Rd FK7 7JW; RAPLOCH - Andrew Anderson & Sons 90 Drip Road FK8 1RN.