charity support – Page 3 – The NEN

Hibernian Women’s players support Scottish family charity with Nuby

Two Hibernian Women players have helped bring festive cheer to local families this Christmas, donating Santa Surprise Boxes to a Scottish charity on behalf of baby brand Nuby.

Lauren Doran-Barr and Tegan Bowie donated 15 Nuby ‘Santa Surprise Boxes’ to Circle, a charity that supports children and families across Scotland who are facing challenging circumstances.

The festive boxes were hand delivered to the Circle head offices, and are designed to bring joy to young children during the Christmas period, helping to ease pressure on families at what can be a particularly difficult time of year.

Circle works closely with families to improve outcomes for children, offering practical, emotional and relationship-based support to help build stronger, safer and more resilient family lives.

The donation forms part of Nuby’s commitment to supporting families beyond its products, using its partnerships to give back to local communities and make a positive difference where it is most needed.

James Watson, head of marketing at Nuby, said, “Christmas should be a joyful time for every child, but we know that isn’t always the reality for families facing difficult circumstances.

“These Santa Surprise Boxes are a small way for us to help spread some festive cheer, and we’re proud to support Circle and the vital work they do for families across Scotland. Working alongside Hibs players Lauren and Tegan to deliver this donation makes the initiative even more meaningful.”

The visit also reflects Nuby’s wider partnership with Hibernian Women, which focuses on supporting family-centred causes and creating positive community impact through women’s football.

Andrew Morrison, commercial partnerships executive at Hibernian Football Club, said: “We’re proud to see our players supporting initiatives that make a genuine difference in the local community.

“Partnerships like this with Nuby allow us to use the platform of women’s football to support families and charities doing vital work, and it’s fantastic to see Lauren and Tegan playing such an active role.”

Lauren Doran-Barr and Tegan Bowie said they were delighted to be involved in the donation and to help make Christmas a little brighter for children supported by Circle.

Edinburgh Shopper scoops over £600 for CHAS in festive edition of Aldi Supermarket Sweep

Aldi Scotland’s much loved Supermarket Sweep challenge recently returned to Edinburgh with a festive twist, and one lucky local winner spread some Christmas cheer by raising £606.18 for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) while bagging the same amount in Aldi favourites for himself.

Aldi’s popular Supermarket Sweep, inspired by the legendary gameshow, arrived in Edinburgh on Sunday 14 December. Lucky shopper Tom Garrat, who was chosen as the winner of the competition, donned a Santa costume for his five-minute trolley dash for CHAS at the retailer’s Portobello store – where CHAS representatives got into the festive spirit dressed as elves.

As well as taking home a trolley full of goodies, Aldi Scotland matched the cash value of Tom’s haul, donating all proceeds to CHAS to help support over 500 babies, children and young people across Scotland with life-shortening conditions and their families. In 2025, every penny raised through the initiative has gone directly to CHAS, with £10,000 pledged in support.

Aldi Supermarket Sweep winner, Tom Garratt, said: “It was a pleasure to raise over £600 for CHAS with the help of Aldi.

“A special thanks to Sarah from CHAS for being my eyes and ears as I dashed through the aisles filling the trolleys!”

Sarah Dannfald, Senior Community Fundraiser, CHAS, said: “Turning up to Aldi’s Portobello store dressed as Santa and an Elf isn’t something you do every day, but the team there welcomed us like absolute stars.

“Tom’s fantastic effort in the Supermarket Sweep, along with the brilliant support from all the staff, brought so much festive fun and raised a wonderful amount for CHAS.

“Their generosity will help bring comfort, care and Christmas magic to the children and families we support all year round. We can’t thank them enough for getting behind us with such spirit and good humour!”

Sandy Mitchell, Regional Managing Director, Aldi Scotland, said: “Our first-ever festive edition of Supermarket Sweep has been such a good way to celebrate the season and spread some Christmas cheer, while also finishing a fantastic year of fundraising on a high. Congratulations to Tom, who raised an incredible £606.18 for CHAS while grabbing a bundle of Aldi favourites for himself.

“CHAS is an incredible organisation that does invaluable work for families across Scotland.

“We’re proud to support them and help raise as much as possible so they can continue to provide vital hospice care for children with life-shortening conditions, and unwavering support to families during the most difficult moments imaginable.”

Miller Homes supports Lothian Children’s Deaf Club and helps light up Whitecraig with funding boost

Festive funding boost for Midlothian community groups

Miller Homes Scotland East is supporting two Midlothian community groups through its Community Fund initiative, donating £1,000 each to Lothian Children’s Deaf Club in Bonnyrigg and Whitecraig Christmas Lights in Dalkeith.

Since launching in 2022, the Community Fund has made a meaningful difference to local communities across Scotland, awarding £344,000 in grants to 538 organisations.

The initiative has helped a wide range of projects, from supporting foodbanks, sports teams, music groups and creative spaces. So far in 2025 Community Fund has supported seventeen groups across Scotland with a share of £20,000, including Lothian Children’s Deaf Club and Whitecraig Christmas Lights.

Miller Homes’ donation to Lothian Children’s Deaf Club will go towards purchasing BSL resources for schools. This includes posters for open parts of the school with BSL greetings, useful words/phrases and grammar, as well as flashcards for further learning.

Kirsten Abioye, co-founder at Lothian Children’s Deaf Club said: “Thanks to a generous £1,000 donation from Miller Homes, we can continue our mission at LCDC to support deaf children and their families.

A big part of that is providing opportunities to learn BSL so we hope these resources will encourage and support BSL learning in schools.

“This also fosters community learning, where hearing children have the opportunity to learn alongside deaf children and helping to create an inclusive school environment where everyone feels they belong.”

Funding awarded to Whitecraig Christmas Lights will support ongoing fundraising efforts to help light up the village during the festive season, bringing residents together and creating a strong sense of local pride.

Rebecka Melrose, representative of Whitecraig Christmas Lights, said: “Thanks to a generous £1,000 donation from Miller Homes, we can continue to light up the village and spread festive cheer for everyone to enjoy.

“A huge thank you to Miller Homes for supporting our community.”

Neil Gaffney, Regional Sales Director for Miller Homes Scotland East, said: “We are delighted to be able to continually support causes within the communities that we have developments.

“Supporting initiatives like Lothian Children’s Deaf Club and local projects such as Whitecraig Christmas Lights reflects our commitment to strengthening communities and bringing people together.

“The work of Lothian Children Deaf Club is vitally important in supporting families by creating a community centred around inclusivity and continuous learning.

“We are delighted that this funding will go towards continuing this amazing work.

“The village Christmas lights play a special role in creating a sense of pride and festive spirit for residents of all ages. We’re pleased that this funding will help ensure the lights continue to shine for the community.”

For more information on Miller Homes’ Community Fund and to find out when the next round of funding opens, visit www.millerhomes.co.uk/communityfund.

Every Meal Matters: Support Empty Kitchens Full Hearts Winter Appeal

SUPPORT LOCAL CHARITY’s WORK in 2026

On Friday, we hosted our Christmas Community Lunch – complete with Christmas ham, honey roast veg and of course some Christmas crackers

But a community lunch is not just for Christmas! We host a community lunch for 50 local people every Friday here in Granton, encouraging people to enjoy good food together.

Next week, our team will still be cooking, packing and delivering meal packs to people in need across Edinburgh

We know Christmas can be a difficult time of year – with greater pressure on finances and many people feeling socially isolated. Each meal pack tells a person that someone is thinking of them this Christmas.

If you’d like to support our work in 2026, please donate to our Winter Appeal

Donate: https://tinyurl.com/mssm3xtu

Our community lunch returns for 2026 on the 2nd of January.

Please note that there is no community lunch on Friday the 26th of December.

Edinburgh community groups share more than £25K funding boost from Co-op’s Local Community Fund

Edinburgh community groups have shared in a more than £25,000 funding boost from Co-op’s Local Community Fund.

The focus of Co-op’s Local Community Fund is on enabling communities to thrive, supporting local groups and causes to make a difference locally through their work to either: provide access to food; improve mental wellbeing; create opportunities for young people; promote community cohesion and, build more sustainable futures.

More than a dozen causes have benefitted – with celebrations events taking place in local Co-op stores in recent weeks – cause include: Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (£3,017); 106A City of Edinburgh Rainbows and Brownies (£1,502); Branch Out Together – prev. Lothian Autistic Society (£2,657); Caledonian Thebans RFC (£1,282); Capella Charity (£1,340) ; Corstorphine Community Centre (£2,165); Empty Kitchens Full Hearts (£2,925); Hays Pantry (£2,052); Teapot Trust (£1,574); The Dove Centre (£2,442) and the 46th Edinburgh and Lothian Girls’ Brigade (£1,188).

Co-op is committed to making a difference in the communities it serves, and its members have a say how the fund is shared between local causes, simply by choosing a community group close to their hearts via Co-op’s Membership App.

Nearly 40,000 unique projects have been supported in communities across the UK since the fund began in 2016.

David Luckin, Head of Social Value & Community Engagement, Co-op, said: “Local causes make a huge difference in communities across the UK. As a co-operative, our members have a say in where and how our profits are shared, and our funding enables local groups to deliver projects that focus on the needs of local communities and, the issues affecting people’s lives.

“We know that things are increasingly challenging for local causes, and we are told that our funding makes a real difference – we are focussed on helping people and communities thrive.”

Around 9.5m people (almost one in seven of the UK population) have benefitted directly from Co-op’s Local Community Fund since the fund started in 2016, with nearly 40,000 unique projects supported UK-wide during the period.

The benefits to community groups also extend beyond the funding support, with more than nine-in-10 causes (94%) saying that they felt more connected with their community as a result of participating in Co-op’s Local Community Fund.

Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer-owned co-operatives, with its history dating back more than 180 years.

The Co-op exists to create value for its membership and communities, and members can view current local causes and choose a community project close to their own heart via the Co-op membership app.

Finding Peace of Mind Walk 2026

Starting in the Shetland Islands on 1st January 2026 – and arriving into Edinburgh on 25th February – Jonathan Kemp, Viscount Rochdale, will embark on an incredible 10-month, 296-day, 4,200km journey across Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland and Northern Ireland to raise £80,000 for four mental health charities and to spark open conversations about mental health.

Along the way, Jonathan will give talks in workplaces, schools, universities and community groups on his own powerful story of living with bipolar disorder, depression, addiction and dyslexia.

Jonathan is keen to invite members of the public to walk alongside him for a mile, a day, or more – or simply offer support from the side-lines. For more information visit: www.jonathankemp.com/walk and for the full press release, route maps and photographs visit: https://bit.ly/FindingPeaceMedia

For the first 40 years of his life, Jonathan battled undiagnosed mental health conditions, and contemplated death by suicide. He spent years trying to distance himself from family expectations, searching for a sense of well-being as a punk, a cowboy in Australia, a London bricklayer, a Metropolitan Police sergeant, and later an entrepreneur. He shared his story in his powerful memoir, Finding Peace of Mind (Troubador, October 2025).

Now, he wants to share his journey from mental illness to a life of purpose and hope, normalising conversations about mental health, reducing stigma, and inspiring others to keep going, while raising money for four charities:

SAMH – Scotland www.samh.org.uk

Around since 1923, SAMH is Scotland’s national mental health charity.

They operate over 70 services in communities across Scotland, providing mental health social care support, addictions and employment services, among others.

Mind – England & Wales www.mind.org.uk

Mind is the national mental health charity in England and Wales that fights for everyone to get the mental health support they deserve.

Mind provides a wide range of services, including a national Infoline, legal advice, online resources, and support through local branches.

Mind’s work focuses on offering support, fighting for mental health policies, and breaking down societal stigma.

AWARE NI – Northern Ireland www.aware-ni.org

AWARE NI is the Depression Charity for Northern Ireland.

Based in Derry/Londonderry and Belfast, they have an established network of 24 support groups across the country alongside online support group options, welcoming people with low mood, anxiety, depression and bipolar as well as carers for people with mental ill-health.

AWARE – Ireland www.aware.ie

Founded in 1985, AWARE is a voluntary organisation based in Ireland which aims to assist people affected by depression, bipolar disorder and related mood conditions.

They offer support and self-care groups for people who experience depression or bipolar disorder, a support Line, support mail and training and education programmes.

Anyone can donate here: https://rebrand.ly/FindingPeaceWalk

Jonathan says, “This isn’t just a walk — it’s a living symbol of the mental health journey. Beginning in the cold, dark days of January reflects those times when life feels tough, when all you can do is keep going one step at a time.”

Jonathan Kemp, Viscount Rochdale, is a survivor, author, and relentless innovator. He is an entrepreneur, former law enforcement official and mental health advocate who was unaware that bipolar disorder, depression and dyslexia were shaping his life.

He has appeared on Times Radio, BBC Radio, TedX and in the Times and Tatler. He won the British Dyslexia Association’s ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ award in 2011 and has worked with organisations and academic institutions using SmartWisdom to support people to excel at work and study. www.jonathankemp.com.

Gillespie Macandrew donates £53,000 to Change Mental Health and Richmond’s Hope

Scottish law firm Gillespie Macandrew has donated a record £53,000 to its charity partners, Change Mental Health and Richmond’s Hope, as part of the firm’s long-standing commitment to social responsibility and community engagement.

The partnerships, announced in March, reflect the firm’s dedication to supporting charities nominated by staff through fundraising initiatives, volunteering, and financial contributions.

Richmond’s Hope provides children and young people aged 4-18 years old with the support, tools and space to process their grief after losing someone close to them.

Change Mental Health is a national mental health charity delivering non-clinical, person-centred support to people affected by mental illness in communities across Scotland.

Over the past nine years, Gillespie Macandrew has donated more than £350,000 to Scottish charities demonstrating the firm’s dedication to aligning with sustainable development goals that help strengthen communities and drive positive social change.

Amy McDowell, Partner and Head of Gillespie Macandrew’s ESG Committee said: “We are delighted to mark the first year of our partnership with Change Mental Health and Richmond’s Hope with a record donation.

“At Gillespie Macandrew, we believe it’s our responsibility to support organisations making a real difference in our communities. These charities provide vital services to people facing some of life’s most challenging circumstances, and we are proud to play a part in their work.

“Our charity partnerships are central to our award-winning ESG activities, which includes a strategic commitment to donate a percentage of pre-tax profits each year.

“The charities were chosen by our colleagues through a democratic process, ensuring the causes we support truly resonate with our team and align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals we strive to advance.”

Alison Cairns, Chief Executive at Richmond’s Hope added: “We are excited to be working with Gillespie Macandrew as a charity partner for 2025-2027. This funding will help us reach more bereaved children and families and have a meaningful impact on their futures.

“Thank you to everyone at Gillespie Macandrew for the funding and the partnership over the next two years.

“We are also delighted to recognise the wider support shown through volunteering, the generous furniture donation towards our new Edinburgh base, and facilitating the online training session with the Gillespie Macandrew team which has strengthened our partnership and benefited the children and families we support.”

Jonny Cobbold, Director of Development at Change Mental Health said: “This first period of our partnership with Gillespie Macandrew, alongside Richmond’s Hope, has been incredibly fruitful in enabling us to change attitudes and tackle stigma around mental illness.

“Their keen interest in our work has been demonstrated through their participation in our new mental health training offer. We were also delighted to welcome colleagues from their team to our inaugural People First Summit in Edinburgh.

“This pre-tax profit donation is vital in ensuring we can support more people across Scotland and do more to raise awareness across Scottish communities.

“We cannot wait to see what’s in store for the remainder of the partnership over the next year or so, ensuring we can continue to fight for a future where no one faces mental illness alone.”

Gillespie Macandrew has offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth, advising clients on all areas of land and rural business, private client, commercial real estate, renewable energy, tax and disputes, combining a personal approach with industry-leading expertise.

With a strong emphasis on ESG and charity involvement, the firm actively supports its local communities through financial contributions, fundraising, and volunteer work.

Edinburgh among the UK’s most generous cities of 2025

Edinburgh has been named the second most generous city in the UK, according to charity donation data from 2025.

In a record year for charitable giving according to annual figures from JustGiving, Leeds topped the generosity table, donating the most to charities and good causes per person via the platform last year.

Edinburgh finished at number 2 on the table, with donations exceeding £3.9 million in 2025 – equivalent to every single person in the city giving £7.09.

A total of 127,000 donations were made in the city, across 4,000 charities and causes, with 12% per cent (1 in 8) of Edinburgh’s residents donating to a JustGiving page at some point this year.

Across the UK, over one million fundraising pages were created this year, and over 18 million donations made to UK charities via JustGiving, making it a record-breaking year.

The fundraising platform also revealed 73 million miles were logged for fitness challenges in 2025, with £164 million raised for running events.

Elsewhere, nearly 3,000 people shaved their heads for charity – generating £2.7 million – while nearly 500 world record attempters raised over £1.2 million.

In addition, schools across the UK contributed over £31 million in total through their charitable endeavours.

A poll of 2,000 UK adults went on to explore charitable ambitions for 2026, revealing one in four (26 per cent) are likely to set themselves a fundraising goal in the New Year.

And 28 per cent hope to donate more to charity than they did in 2025, while 31 per cent are keen to take on a fundraising challenge next year.

Health and medical research (38 per cent), animal welfare (32 per cent), and children or education causes (31 per cent) are the top categories Brits plan to support, followed by mental-health support (30 per cent), homelessness and housing (29 per cent), and environmental causes (21 per cent).

And with the festive season fast approaching, 46 per cent of those polled via OnePoll believe the best way to give back at Christmas is by donating toys, clothes or food to families in need.

A further 41 per cent reckon supporting a local charity or cause is one of the most meaningful ways to make a difference during the holidays.

Pascale Harvie, president and general manager of JustGiving, said: “This year, which saw us celebrate our 25th anniversary, has been nothing short of extraordinary for charitable giving.

“Despite ongoing financial pressures, people across the UK continue to dig deep for loved ones’ fundraisers and causes close to their hearts, with Edinburgh showing particular generosity.

“We’ve seen countless examples of communities rallying together when it matters most – It’s a powerful reminder that generosity remains a defining part of who we are.”

*Statistics cover the period between 1st January and 9th December 2025.

TOP TEN MOST GENEROUS CITIES BY AVERAGE DONATION ON JUSTGIVING:

Leeds – £7.88
Edinburgh – £7.09
Leicester – £6.55
Bristol – £6.28
Reading – £5.46
Preston – £4.81
Nottingham – £4.69
London – £4.50
Cardiff – £4.13
Glasgow – £3.89

DC Thomson family’s charitable trust donates £150,000 to support NSPCC to keep children safe online

A charitable trust, established by a family member of one of Scotland’s largest media companies, will help continue the NSPCC’s work to keep children safe online after pledging a donation of £150,000.

The Northwood Charitable Trust, which was set up by a member of the DC Thomson family in 1972, has pledged to donate £50k annually over the next three years to the children’s charity to support its campaign and research work on online safety.

DC Thomson is famous for publications such as the Beano, The Courier and the Sunday Post.

The core purpose of the Northwood Charitable Trust, which has supported the NSPCC for over a decade, is making communities better and more supportive places for people to live, work and prosper.

Their additional funding will be used for the NSPCC’s work to help protect children and young people online, including a youth-led project collaborating with the Scottish Youth Parliament which aims to ensure that young people’s voices are central to the development of a safer internet.

The NSPCC continues to advocate for stronger protections in online gaming and digital platforms, trying to ensure children are protected from harm wherever they spend time online.

Blair Thomson, head of the Northwood Charitable Trust, said: “The Trust is proud to support the NSPCC’s pioneering work in online safety.

“In an increasingly digital world, we believe no child should ever feel unsafe or unheard. The NSPCC’s efforts give vulnerable young people a voice and safeguard the innocence every child deserves.”

Chris Sherwood, Chief Executive of the NSPCC, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to the Northwood Charitable Trust for their continued support. This generous donation strengthens our work to keep children safe online and ensures that young people’s voices are heard where it will make the most impact.

“In a fast-changing digital world, it’s vital that we stay ahead of emerging risks and advocate for stronger protections across platforms- so that every child can explore and connect safely.

“With this support, we can continue pushing for meaningful change that protects children now and into the future.”

Young people looking for support on any of the issues mentioned, can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or visit Childline.org.uk. Childline is available to all young people until their 19^th birthday.

If you are concerned about a child you can contact the NSPCC Helpline by calling 0808 800 5000 or email: help@NSPCC.org.uk.

Empty Kitchens Full Hearts: Still time to donate to BIG GIVE appeal

7 days of match-funding closes at NOON TODAY – any donation you make before the 12pm deadline will have twice the impact!

If you donate £20 before midday, you will support a person in need with healthy meals and wraparound care for two weeks.

To donate to our Big Give appeal, please click here:

https://donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05WS000005BQfSYAW

Thank you for your support.