The 17th annual Stirling Observer Give A Gift Appeal is now underway.
Every year more local children and young people need your support than before – and more charities and good causes seek out our help.
Our list of drop-off points can be found below – but any businesses or locations who would like to be added to the list are welcome to get in touch.
Over the years, our generous readers have donated thousands of toys and gifts for deserving youngsters across the area through the appeal.
In recent years many of you who usually donate have no doubt been feeling the pressure yourselves amid the cost of living crisis.
And with charities and good causes desperately trying to help growing numbers of families in need to feed, clothe and keep their children warm this winter, we appreciate that toys may not seem like a necessity in such circumstances.
The fact is, however, that children in our communities need and deserve something special more than ever – whether that’s due to their financial circumstances, their health or whatever difficult circumstances they have going on in their lives.
Stirling Observer reporter Kaiya Marjoribanks said: “Those of you who are able to donate, we simply ask that you put yourselves in the shoes of those parents who are already struggling against all the odds to make ends meet, or who are facing Christmas feeling isolated because of other difficulties.
“Christmas can be the most special time of the year – but we all have to remember that it can also be the most isolating and polarising. For some families the gift is not just seeing their child open a present – but knowing that their neighbours and their wider community care about their struggles, whatever they may be.
“That’s why we are asking our readers – those who can afford to – to help make some Christmas magic happen for some of the most deserving children and young people in our communities.
“A gift donated to the appeal isn’t just a parcel to open on Christmas morning.
“It’s a sign to families, to children and to local charities, that we care.”
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 newborn babies right up 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 many charities and good causes which help to distribute the gifts 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, which provides social opportunities for children and young people with disabilities; Stirling HMP and Glenochil Family Support Hubs; FVRH children’s ward; Support4Families, which helps families affected by a loved one’s drug or alcohol misuse; CHAS; and more.
In recent years groups and foodbanks set up by local volunteers in the Observer circulation area including CRAG (Cowie), Polmaise Community Council, and Love in a Box, have also been able to receive toys from the appeal for children and families they support, and other one off requests have been fulfilled.
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, email: [email protected] or [email protected] or call any of the editorial contact numbers on page 2 of today’s edition.
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 to allow charities to choose for individual children. Cuddly toys should be kept to a minimum if possible as some charities have difficulty placing these for health and hygiene reasons.
•Vouchers – Since the Covid pandemic, we have also given the option of donating gift cards and vouchers to offer some flexibility to both those donating and to the charities. These can be sent to Stirling Observer Give A Gift Appeal, c/o Stirling Observer, Give A Gift Appeal, Reach plc, 55 Douglas Street, Glasgow G2 7NP. Please include details of the value of the gift card or voucher. If you would like a confirmation of receipt, please provide your name and postal address or email address.
•Drop-off points include: STIRLING – Morrisons supermarket, Springkerse Retail Park; Nationwide Building Society, Port Street; Waitrose, Burghmuir Retail Park FK7 7NZ; ABERFOYLE Breagha By Nic craft shop, 1-4 Main Street; BALFRON Andrew Anderson & Sons, 64B Buchanan Street G63 0TW; BANNOCKBURN – Jintz Express/Post Office, 17 Quakerfield; BRIDGE OF ALLAN – Andrew Anderson & Sons, 71 Henderson Street FK9 4HG; 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.