Dunblane solicitors firm McLean and Stewart have shown their generosity once again by donating £1000 worth of toys to the Stirling Observer Give A Gift Appeal.
Local charities and organisations are now busy helping Santa to distribute toys and gifts after the Observer team gathered in donations from drop off points and a number of other supporters.
Stalwart supporters of the appeal, the team at McLean and Stewart, once again came forward to offer their backing.
Stirling Observer reporter Kaiya Marjoribanks said: “Every gift that is donated matters – but it is wonderful to have managed to get the effort off to such a great start knowing that McLean and Stewart have been so generous yet again.
“We didn’t even have to approach them – they came forward keen to help out as ever.”
Representatives of a number of charities, groups and organisations who support sick, disabled, needy and disadvantaged children and young people aged from babies to teenagers, came to choose from items donated by individuals, groups, churches, schools and businesses recently.
“To see how local people have responded yet again to Give A Gift shows that this is a community that cares,” added Kaiya.
“We at the Stirling Observer and the charities and good causes can only do our best to get the donations to as many families and young people as possible but hopefully the one gift that everyone will receive is the knowledge that their neighbours, friends and their community really do care about them, whether their challenges in life are financial, health related or challenging circumstances of any kind.
“Thank you to everyone and anyone who has played their part in making that happen.”
Running since 2008, the appeal receives and distributes donations of new 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, Cornton Vale and Glenochil Family Hubs, Barnardo’s and Stirling Women’s Aid, Forth Valley Royal Hospital’s children’s ward, and Support4Families, as well as several community groups and organisations.
Anyone inspired by the Stirling Observer Give A Gift Appeal to donate a toy who has not already done so, can still help in the wider community effort to ensure as many children and families don’t go without this Christmas.
The Stirling Observer appeal will now be providing some toys and gifts to the Christmas Eve drive being organised to distribute food and supplies to locals on December 24 from premises in the city’s Wellgreen Lane.
Members of the local community, including former staff and volunteers of the Transition Community Food project and Stirling Citizens Advice Bureau, are collaborating with the Haider Bhatti family, to open the community food hub building one more time on Christmas Eve.
Effort to ensure every Stirling child receives a visit from Santa continues until Christmas Eve
Former Stirling foodbank staff and charities come together for Christmas Eve lifeline
The group known as ‘Stirling Aid Christmas Community Food’ aim to distribute food donated from local businesses and supermarkets for free, offering support to members of our local community during these challenging and difficult economic times.
However, as part of the effort, they also hope to have some toys available to help out anyone whose children may be at risk of not getting a visit from Santa this year.
Kaiya said: “Once we have fulfilled our commitments to those charities and good causes we help, we will be providing any remaining donations to the Stirling Aid/CAB effort to ensure they continue to help anyone who needs help this Christmas right up until the last minute.
“The people of Stirling have already been incredibly generous, but anyone who has not already donated a toy and feels inspired to do so, we would encourage them to drop a gift into the CAB office in the run up to Christmas Eve.”
Any donations of new/boxed toys can be made at the Stirling CAB office, The Norman MacEwan Centre, 3 Cameronian Street, Stirling, FK8 2DX, Monday to Friday 10am-4pm and until 1pm on Christmas Eve.