The streets of Edinburgh City Centre were even noisier than usual yesterday as a group of bikers arrived in town on a mission to help disadvantaged children in Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife.
Motorcyclists and a World War Two Jeep provided a special escort for local volunteers as they collected gifts for this year’s Cash for Kids Mission Christmas appeal. The petrol-heads, from the Bikers Cove store in South Queensferry, got involved after learning about the campaign from friends at the nearby Hideaway Community Café.
Mission Christmas is co-ordinated annually by Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids, and aims to ensure that every single child in the region, that would otherwise go without, wakes up to a present on Christmas morning. The charity works with grassroots organisations, social workers, head teachers and the emergency services, who are encouraged to nominate families in crisis to be supported by the appeal. In 2016, over 18,000 local children received gifts, and it’s hoped even more people can be helped this year.
Paul Gray, from the Hideaway Café, said: “We really wanted to do our bit to help Mission Christmas because we’ve seen for ourselves what a difference it makes to the lives of children who, for whatever reason, might not wake up to a Christmas present. We put a collection box in our cafes and, as we have worked with The Bikers Cove on other charity events, we persuaded them to put a collection box in their café. But, they then went one bit better and decided to provide us with our own motorcycle escort when we drove our collection van throughout the town. It just shows how much everyone is behind the campaign and we’re all really proud to do our little bit to help.”
In Edinburgh alone, it’s estimated around 1in 5 young people are living in poverty, making the campaign more important than ever before. Thousands of presents have already been collected, with donations handed in to Radio Forth’s Edinburgh studios and collection bins in shops throughout the region, including B&M and ASDA.
Forth 1’s Micky Gavin, added: “Mission Christmas is a brilliant way for people to act in the true spirit of the season and give a little something to disadvantaged young people right here in Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife. It was great to see the bikers dressed in Santa outfits and really embracing the campaign. What was achieved by our generous listeners last year was truly amazing and I know we can smash that figure this year!”
Planning to donate to Mission Christmas? You have until Sunday to hand in gifts at Radio Forth or at collection bins dotted throughout the region. Alternatively, you can text FORTH to 70808 to make a £5 donation to the appeal. Calls cost Standard network rate and 100% of the donation goes to Cash for Kids.
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