Tag: charity donations

Conifox customers dig deep to bring Christmas joy to children

Last chance to donate toys

Generous visitors to Edinburgh’s Conifox Adventure Park are digging deep to bring the joy of Christmas to youngsters in need of a little extra festive cheer. 

Customers enjoying the Park’s Christmas Experience and other attractions have been giving Santa a helping hand by donating new toys for local children. There is still time to gift presents to make Christmas morning special for youngsters who might otherwise miss out. 

The initiative is part of Conifox’s mission to develop a reciprocal relationship with the community and is led by Deborah Gammell, working in partnership with the KidsLoveClothes Team.

Deborah said: “Children are at the heart of our business. We are a family-owned company, and with young children ourselves, we recognise that the well-being of local children is shared priority. Our collaboration with KidsLoveClothes for their Christmas Toy Appeal is a perfect way for us make a contribution. 

“Christmas is a time where some families will need a little extra support, especially within the more recent pressures of the pandemic. KidsLoveClothes is a fantastic charity with an established network which ensures donations go to those most in need.

“We have received lots of wonderful new toys within the Conifox Activity Centre already and hope our campaign gathers momentum in the final days to Christmas. Every gift received is guaranteed to go to a local child in need.  

“As a mum, I know how much this will mean to the parents too. If you are planning to visit, please consider donating a new toy to our appeal, it will be very gratefully received.” 

This year the Lothians-based charity KidsLoveCLothes, which provides items of clothing for youngsters in need all year round, has already provided gifts from Conifox, for almost 400 children, aged 0-12, but more are needed. 

Founder Fiona Shapcott says: “The demand for Christmas gift bags is high but sadly we know there are children we are unable to reach which is heart-breaking. Local businesses and individuals have been incredibly generous but we would love to do more and are hoping visitors to Conifox will make Christmas dreams come true for many more youngsters this year.” 

Conifox Adventure Park, at Kirkliston on the outskirts of Edinburgh, is currently running its Christmas Experience with a host of festive attractions. It is open until December 23 and will be delighted to accept toy donations until then. 

To find out more and to book tickets, visit the Conifox Adventure Park Facebook page @conifoxadventurepark or www.conifox.co.uk.  

To find out more about KidsLoveClothes visit: https://www.kidsloveclothes.co.uk 

Aldi donates over 22,000 meals to Edinburgh and Lothian charities over the school summer holidays

ALDI – GLASCOTE TAMWORTH FOOD DONATION – TAMWORTH HEART CHARITY Pictures by Adam Fradgley Pictured: Lisa Richards (Aldi) and Simon Peaple (Tamworth Heart) with the trolley of donated items at the Tamworth store

Local charities across Edinburgh and the Lothians helped Aldi donate 22,752 meals to people in need over the summer school holidays.

The supermarket paired up its stores with local charities, community groups and foodbanks to donate surplus food, with the majority of meals going to causes supporting families and children.

The donation is part of Aldi’s commitment to donate 10 million meals across the country in 2021, in partnership with community giving platform Neighbourly.

Mary Dunn, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi UK, said: “We were proud to support so many incredible causes across Edinburgh and the Lothians this summer, helping them to donate meals to those in need.

“The school holidays can be a hard time for families, particularly when many are experiencing heightened financial hardship due to the pandemic, and this is why we committed to donating more meals than ever before.”

Steve Butterworth, from Neighbourly, added: “The summer school holidays are always one of the busiest times for the nation’s charities and food banks, but this year things were even busier. Aldi’s donations have never been more of a vital support to these organisations.”

Aldi stores across the country work with Neighbourly to partner with local charities, who can collect surplus food and perishable products, such as fruit, vegetables and baked goods, up to seven days a week.

Fort Kinnaird gives back to the community with charity donations

Fort Kinnaird has donated £5,000 to help some of the charities and organisations most impacted by the pandemic across the capital’s Niddrie and Craigmillar areas.

The local grassroots charities have each received £1,000 from a dedicated fund set up by Fort Kinnaird owners British Land and were selected due to the key role they play in supporting the local community.

Venchie Children & Young People’s Project, Thistle Foundation, Craigmillar Now, Richmond’s Hope and Caring in Craigmillar are among the charities to receive support from Fort Kinnaird.

Venchie Children & Young People’s Project provides play, recreation, and issue-based youth work to school children from across Niddrie, with access to activities including drama club, residentials, and breakfast and after school clubs.

Thistle Foundation is a charity supporting those with long-term health conditions and disabilities, enabling them to live independently in their own homes, while Craigmillar Now brings the local community together through art with a host of different exhibitions throughout the year.

Richmond’s Hope provides support for children and young people dealing with bereavement by offering a safe space for children to work through their grief, helping them to preserve memories of their loved one, explore their feelings, and provide them with coping strategies for handling their loss.

Caring in Craigmillar is a charity dedicated to improving the quality of life for vulnerable older people with complex care needs, preventing them from becoming isolated and encouraging community integration.

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “The past 12 months have been an incredibly challenging time for local charities who have seen funding disrupted by the pandemic. Our commitment to our community has never been more important, and I’m so pleased we can support some of those organisations that need it most.

“The chosen charities do such amazing work across our immediate local communities of Niddrie and Craigmillar and we hope our donation goes some way in helping them to continue to do so.”

This initiative is part of Fort Kinnaird’s wider programme of work in the community which included the launch of its Giving Box installation, designed to encourage visitors to make small donations while at the centre to help support local organisations.

Cash boost for Glasgow Therapy Centre for Cerebral Palsy

A Glasgow charity which gives support to people living with cerebral palsy is to benefit from a cash boost gifted by a regional builder.

Cerebral Palsy Scotland has received £1,000 from Persimmon Homes West Scotland to continue to provide virtual, face-to-face and phone-based therapy sessions for people with cerebral palsy across Scotland.

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a neurological condition caused by an injury to a child’s brain at or around the time of birth. CP affects a person’s ability to control their movement, posture and balance and one in three people with the condition are unable to walk. Other areas of function can also be affected. One in four are unable to talk and 50% have learning disabilities.  Many live with ongoing pain and epilepsy

The donation comes as part of the housebuilder’s Community Champions scheme, which will see a pot of £24,000 given out to local good causes throughout the region over the next 12 months.

Groups will be chosen every month to receive a match-funding donation with local community groups being encouraged to apply by completing an online form at www.persimmonhomes.com/charity.



Susan Sheridan at Cerebral Palsy Scotland, said: “We are delighted that Persimmon Homes West Scotland have chosen to support us.  60% of the people we support have told us that COVID-19 restrictions have negatively impacted on their mental health and we are working hard to reach out to them however we can.

“The £1,000 donation will fund our CP Connect service phone calls for five months providing free therapy and support for children and their families living with cerebral palsy.”

Chris Logan, managing director for Persimmon Homes West Scotland, said the community initiative was a way of supporting people across every city, town and village where the company works.

He said: “Cerebral Palsy Scotland make a huge difference to children and their families living with cerebral palsy and have found a way to support them despite the ongoing restrictions.  Their tenacity in raising funds and quality of their application gave them the edge when it came to choosing the good causes to support but it is always a difficult choice.

“We now want to hear from more groups and charities as we look to allocate more funding over the next month.  All we ask is that the group or charity has already worked hard to raise money themselves, and we will then match this effort with funding of up to £1,000.”

To find out more about Persimmon Homes development in Glasgow including The Boulevard, located just south of the city centre, Greenlees and Castle Gardens in Cambuslang, Sycamore Park in Darnley, or to apply for funding, visit:

www.persimmonhomes.com

Freemasons rise to Covid-19 challenge

Donations total £1m and 18 million hours of volunteering

Faced with the greatest global pandemic in living memory, Freemasons came together in 2020 and donated a total of £1m as well as their time to help those in need.

The donations were used to help communities in various critical areas, including foodbanks, support for unpaid carers, personal protective equipment (PPE), supplies for hospitals and hospices, support for women’s refuges, and funds for NHS workers, ambulances and equipment.

Freemasons also worked 18 million hours as volunteers in a range of different areas, where there was a need, including driving vulnerable people to hospital, preparing meals, taking care of people at risk, organising care packages, producing scrubs, PPE and hand sanitiser.

At the start of the crisis in April 2020, some Freemasons adapted their businesses’ production lines to produce nearly 5,000 visors for use in healthcare settings. Since then, Freemasons have produced or procured tens of thousands of pieces of additional PPE.

Meanwhile, to help protect women and children from domestic abuse, Freemasons donated more than £165,000 in 2020. The donation helped more than 2,000 women during the lockdown, who received more than 1,000 parcels containing essential items for women fleeing domestic abuse.

Freemasons also focused their efforts on hospitals and care homes, donating nearly 1,000 tablets to provide vital contact between coronavirus patients and their loved ones. The tablets were provided to more than 50 hospitals, care homes and hospices. In London, hospitals including The Royal London, Queen Mary’s and St Thomas’ received approximately 115 tablets; while in Kent, Surrey and Sussex, some 200 tablets were donated.

Elsewhere, to support thousands of families struggling during the crisis, Freemasons donated 300,000 meals and 38 tonnes of food to homeless people, women’s refuges and vulnerable people, supporting more than 120,000 people in total. Moreover, £560,000 was donated to provide meals and help numerous foodbanks.

Dr David Staples, chief executive of the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), said: “No one in this day and age should have to worry where their next meal is coming from.

“We are so glad that we were able to provide thousands of families across the UK with a hot meal or food donations to help get them through this current crisis. Freemasons have achieved all of this in just a few months and have also given their time to produce and deliver food to the vulnerable.”

The UGLE is also encouraging its members to roll up their sleeves and volunteer to help vaccinate the population. “More than 18.5 million hours of volunteer work were undertaken by Freemasons. Now it is crucial that we help in every way we can to protect the population. If the NHS needs volunteers, then we are happy to emphasise the importance of this to our members,” said Dr Staples.

He continued: “Our response to the Pandemic shows what Freemasonry is all about; supporting those in need, giving back to our communities and volunteering where it can make a real difference. 

“Freemasons have been doing this for over 300 years and I am proud of the time and commitment that our members have given to support the nation in its fight against Covid-19.”

In addition to the £1m donated in 2020, the Freemasons have committed a further fund of £2.1m to support the ongoing Covid-19 crisis response. Of that £2.1m, £850,000 has been allocated to support homeless people through several charities with which UGLE partners.

More than 40,000 homeless individuals are being provided with food and essentials, transport, help with accessing services such as counselling and healthcare, as well as employment and training opportunities.

Edinburgh charities to benefit from Barratt’s £57,500 charity fund to aid pandemic recovery

– Funds set to boost employability and supported education in east Scotland –

Local housebuilder Barratt Developments Scotland has pledged to support the nation’s recovery from the pandemic with a £57,500 investment in employability and education, including £20,000 for the east of Scotland.

Two Edinburgh charities which aim to bolster employability and promote a fair and inclusive education for vulnerable young people have been selected to receive a share of the funds – employability charity WorkingRite and education charity Kindred.

Alison Condie, Managing Director at Barratt Developments East Scotland, said: “Employability and education are two areas which will be vital in aiding Scotland’s recovery from the pandemic – which is why we are focusing our efforts on supporting charities carrying out this work day to day.

“It’s always been the Barratt way to give back to the communities in which we have a presence, and it’s been great to hear how the donations will help WorkingRite and Kindred support people into employment and give young people the best chance to succeed at such a challenging time.”

Employability

With redundancy levels across the UK hitting record highs, the need for new opportunities and reskilling programmes has never been greater. Barratt’s donation to WorkingRite comes at a vital time and will ensure that young people have access to potentially life changing support.

WorkingRite has a proven track record in helping individuals improve their prospects and maximise their potential by matching a young person to a small business in their local community, where they learn valuable skills ‘on-the-job’.

Barratt Developments itself is a major champion of employability. Its graduate and apprenticeship recruitment programmes have continued in spite of the pandemic, and it is currently working with the veteran community to create opportunities for those leaving the armed forces.

Sandy Campbell, Founder of WorkingRite, said: “WorkingRite greatly appreciate the generous donation from Barratt Homes. As we emerge from Covid restrictions, young people from disadvantaged backgrounds need all the help they can get to achieve a working future.

“Barratt’s donation will help make that happen – by funding the training and mentoring we provide for those of our young people who are hoping for careers in the construction trades.”

Supported education

Also receiving a donation is Kindred, a parent-led organisation that helps support children with disabilities and long-term conditions. Last year, Kindred supported hundreds of families with its services, which include a team at Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Sick Children and a community team that works across its services with parents of children with exceptional healthcare needs.

Sophie Pilgrim, Director of Kindred, said: “We are delighted to accept an amazing donation from Barratt Homes East Scotland. We support over 700 families of children with complex needs each year from across Scotland.

“Living in a safe and comfortable home has been especially important to families of children with disabilities over the last year. Kindred has supported 98 families to find the right, adapted accommodation so we are particularly pleased to be supported by a housing provider.

“Our hospital team will be moving to the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People Edinburgh and we will use the funds from Barratt to help us manage to move to our own new home! A big thank you from our staff and families.”

For more information on Barratt Developments East Scotland, which includes Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, visit https://www.barratthomes.co.uk/new-homes/scotland-east/. 

Aldi donates over 6,600 meals to Edinburgh and Lothians charities over the festive period

Local charities across Edinburgh and the Lothians have helped Aldi donate around 6,644 meals to people in need this Christmas Eve. 

The supermarket paired up its stores with local charities, community groups and food banks to make the most of unsold fresh and chilled food after stores closed on 24th December.  

Around 210 tonnes of food were donated throughout the UK, with more than 500,000 meals donated and over 750 UK causes benefitting from the initiative in total.  

The donation is Aldi’s largest to date and helped 10 charitable causes across Edinburgh and the Lothians at a time when more people are experiencing financial hardship and food insecurity due to Covid-19. 

This year, for the first time, the initiative will also extend to New Year’s Eve, when Aldi expects to donate a further 200,000 meals to charitable causes across the country. 

Aldi has also worked with partner Neighbourly to prioritise donations to charities and community groups focused on feeding children over the school Christmas holidays. 

The festive food donations are part of Aldi’s successful partnership with Neighbourly, a community giving platform that links businesses to charitable organisations. Thanks to this, all of Aldi’s 900 UK stores now donate surplus food to good causes seven days a week, all year round. 

Luke Peech, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi UK, said: “We’re proud to support good causes across Edinburgh and the Lothians this festive period, helping them to provide fresh and filling meals over the Christmas period.  

“The feedback has been overwhelming and we’re really pleased to have extended the initiative, so we can do what we can for those in need within the community in what was an incredibly tough year for so many.” 

Steve Butterworth, from Neighbourly, added: “Sadly, this festive season has been the busiest on record for the nation’s charities and food banks. I’m sure Aldi’s donation has been a lifeline for many.” 

Barratt East Scotland raises over £14,000 for charity

Barratt Developments, which includes both Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, is celebrating a record-breaking Christmas with its final Community Fund donations after its charitable efforts topped more than £46,000 in donations across Scotland, including £14,000 in the east of Scotland.

Each year, the five-star housebuilder works with a wide range of local causes and has continued to step up its efforts through the Barratt and David Wilson Community Fund, which donates £1,000 to a deserving local cause in each of its three Scottish divisions every month.

The charities are nominated and voted by employees of Barratt Homes with the focus of fund continuing to be on organisations that improve the quality of life for those living in the area and important issues which worsened due to the pandemic.

Barratt East Scotland’s final Community Fund donations of 2020 have gone to Kids Love Clothes, Social Bite, Edinburgh’s Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC) and Crisis Edinburgh to support with a number of projects throughout December and the festive season.

In April of this year, the housebuilder donated over 2,300 items of PPE equipment to hospitals around Scotland to help frontline NHS workers and staff in the fight against COVID-19. The company also donated 44 defibrillators from its divisional head offices and constructions sites to St Andrew’s First Aid, who assist the NHS and ambulance service on the frontline should they be called upon.

Reflecting on the achievement, Douglas McLeod, Barratt Developments’ Regional Managing Director for Scotland, said: “As the country’s leading housebuilder, we are committed to creating a positive legacy and making a genuine contribution towards the communities in which we build our homes.

“We are extremely proud of this year’s achievement, as it’s become even more apparent how incredibly important it is to support those around us during these unexpected and difficult times.”

“We looking forward to working with many more organisations and raising even more funds as we go into 2021 and beyond. We would like to thank everyone who suggested the charities, supported our fundraising activity and wish everyone a happy and healthy Christmas and prosperous New Year.”

Amy Ford, Fundraiser at ECHC said: “We are so grateful to Barratt Homes for their generous support at the end of what has been an incredibly tough year.

“Their generosity ensures that we can continue to support the children, young people and families who face the anxiety of a hospital visit or stay. Whether it’s filling hospital playrooms with toys, enhancing clinical spaces to become more welcoming or bringing the fun and creativity of the arts into the hospital, Barratt Homes support means that children have a positive hospital experience and can continue to be a child first and a patient second.”

The full list of 2020’s beneficiaries for Barratt East Scotland is:

·       Edinburgh School Uniform Bank

·       PlayMidlothian

·       Cramond Playgroup

·       Social Bite (pictured, top)

·       Edinburgh’s Women’s Aid

·       Ashlee’s Neuroblastoma Appeal

·       Love Gorgie Farm

·       Marie Curie Hospice

·       LifeCare

·       Tiphereth

·       Kids Love Clothes

·       Social Bite

·       Edinburgh’s Children’s Hospital Charity (pictured above)

·       Crisis Edinburgh

76% of Scots intend to donate to a local charity this Christmas

·      85% believe that supporting a local charity is more important than in previous years

·      Community charities top the list of popular causes, while health and animal and wildlife initiatives are also front of mind for residents

76% of Scottish residents intend to donate to a charity close to home this Christmas because of the current climate, a new study has found. 

Data released from Ecclesiastical Insurance’s 12 days of giving campaign shows 10,361 people in the country have so far nominated a local cause to receive a £1,000 donation. 

And an overwhelming number 85% believe it’s more important than ever to support the work of local charities, as a result of the Coronavirus crisis. 

12 days of giving from specialist insurer Ecclesiastical will see 120 different charities receive an early Christmas gift of a £1,000 donation. 

Members of the public are being asked to nominate a charity close to their hearts to receive a festive financial boost with nearly 140,000 people suggesting 3,927 good causes already, in the last two weeks alone. 

247 Scotland based charities have been nominated so far and are in with a chance to win £1,000. 

Community charities are the most popular causes as voted by residents so far. Health organisations and animal and wildlife initiatives are also high priorities. 

Ten lucky charity winners will be announced each weekday from 7 to 22 December. 

It’s quick and easy to nominate a charity online.

Nominations are open until to 21 December and you can vote for your favourite charity at www.movementforgood.com/12days 

Winners will be drawn at random – and while it’s not a popularity contest, the more times a charity is nominated the more chance it has of being selected. Ecclesiastical is encouraging everyone to use their social media channels to ask people to vote for their favourite cause to give them the best possible chance of winning. 

Mark Hews, Group CEO of Ecclesiastical, said: “It’s incredibly humbling to see that Scottish residents are more likely than ever before to make a donation to a local cause this Christmas, despite the difficult year that most of us have faced personally.

“As a commercial company with a charitable purpose, giving back is at the heart of our business. Our annual 12 days of giving Christmas campaign will help charities change lives for the better and we know that for many charities, £1,000 can make a real difference. We’re encouraging everyone to nominate a cause close to their hearts this Christmas to be in for a chance to win a festive financial boost.”

Ecclesiastical recently launched its latest Impact Report to celebrate some of the many good causes it has helped. 

Letters: BHF launches free postal donation service for shops

Dear Editor,

I would like to let your readers know about a new service we have launched at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), which will make it even easier to donate decluttered items and support our charity to help save lives right here in Scotland.

Many people will have spent their time at home having a much-needed clear out and have been kindly holding onto their preloved items ready to donate to us.

Our post to donate service is a quick, free and simple initiative where you can donate smaller items via post. As our 750 UK shops and stores begin to reopen throughout June and July, this service is the perfect solution if your local BHF Scotland shop is not yet open, or you’re simply not ready to head to the high street

From electronic items, clothes and vinyl records to video games, shoes and collectible objects, we hope to receive good quality items which will be sold either online via our eBay store or at a BHF shop.

You can post your donations for free by downloading a postage label online and dropping it off at your local Collect+ store. To download your label and find your nearest Collect+ store, visit www.bhf.org.uk/shop

Our charity shops rely on the support of the public, which is why we never take for granted anything that’s donated to us. Every pound raised in our shops here helps us to support the 720,000 people in Scotland living with heart and circulatory diseases, many of whom are at increased risk from Covid-19.

Yours faithfully

James Jopling

Head of British Heart Foundation Scotland