Tag: volunteer appeal

Do you want to help change lives? Poppyscotland charity seeks Edinburgh volunteers

Scotland’s leading Armed Forces charity, Poppyscotland, has put out a call for volunteers to step forward and make a difference across Edinburgh.

Every year, Poppyscotland runs the iconic Scottish Poppy Appeal, which provides the nation with the national symbol of Remembrance, the four-petalled Scottish Poppy. 

Hundreds of volunteers step up annually to help organise the Scottish Poppy Appeal in their local area, volunteering their time to help distribute poppies and collecting tins, and arrange collections at supermarkets, shopping centres and other key locations.

This year, volunteers are needed in the capital to help organise the Appeal, with dedicated support from the Poppyscotland team. The charity is seeking members of the community, a community group, school, local business, or anyone who wishes to make a difference to Scotland’s Armed Forces community in the city.

The money raised during the Scottish Poppy Appeal goes directly to Poppyscotland’s Welfare services, supporting veterans, those still Serving and their families at times of need. This could include, for example, providing an emergency grant to stop a veteran losing their home, funding housing adaptations so that a disabled veteran can continue to live with their family, and much more.

Current Poppyscotland volunteer, Eilidh, said: “It has been really interesting getting to meet people who have Served or have had family Serving. They provide the most incredible stories. People just want to talk to you when they see you volunteer with Poppyscotland, so it never gets boring.

“Poppyscotland are amazing and have supported me with every step. Any time I have a slight worry or confusion, they’re there to help me out and they are some of the friendliest people I’ve met. I’ve loved everything about my experience to date.”

Poppyscotland’s Head of Fundraising and Learning, Gordon Michie, said: “Every year, we are so grateful for the generous support of the public. But our volunteers are the strength behind the Scottish Poppy Appeal. Their tireless dedication and professionalism means that the national symbol of Remembrance can be found across the nation. 

“We have a dedicated team that look after our volunteers. This makes volunteering for Poppyscotland easy and stress free. But we need you to step forward so that we can continue to change lives for the better.”

To find out more about volunteering for the Scottish Poppy Appeal, contact Poppyscotland’s Volunteering team on 0131 550 1597, email volunteer@poppyscotland.org.uk or visit www.poppyscotland.org.uk/volunteer

Letters: Volunteer Appeal for NSPCC’s Childhood Day

Dear editor,

The NSPCC is calling on nurseries and schools across Scotland to join us for the Childhood Day Mile and raise vital funds to help keep children safe.

Childhood Day, on Friday 9 June, is our flagship day of fundraising where children and adults are encouraged to walk, hop, skip or wheel a mile to help raise money for children across the UK.

We’re asking schools, organisations, families and friends across Scotland to sign up.

Details on how to take part and help us raise funds for NSPCC projects can be found on the NSPCC’s online Childhood Day Hub and there are resources available to schools, nurseries and childcare groups that sign up.

We’re also looking for friendly volunteers to support us at collection points in the following places: 

  • Morrisons, Aberdeen: Saturday, June 3, 10am-6pm  
  • Glasgow City Centre, Buchanan Street: Friday, June 9, 11am-5pm  
  • Asda, Aberdeen: Friday 9 June, 11am-5pm  
  • Lidl Robroyston, Glasgow: Saturday, June 10, 10am-6pm  
  • Old Meldrum Sports & Highland Games, Inverurie: Saturday, June 17, 11am-3pm  

Whether it’s by fundraising, donating, volunteering at a collection or taking action, we’re asking people to play their part to help keep children safe from abuse.

Simply search your postcode in the link below to find the nearest collection point to you.

Visit: www.nspcc.org.uk/support-us/charity-fundraising/childhood-day/volunteer/ or search online for ‘Childhood Day’ to find out more.

To donate visit: www.justgiving.com/page/nspcc-scotland-1678185686020

Yours sincerely,

Caroline Renton

NSPCC Scotland Supporter Fundraising Manager

Letters: Volunteer with BHF

Dear Editor,

Would you like to upskill, keep busy or meet new people? Volunteering with The British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland offers a range of opportunities and with our shops open once again, we need your help now more than ever.

Whether you can spare a few hours or a couple of days a week, the gift of time is vital to the BHF. Every hour given helps us raise funds to support the 700,000 people in Scotland living with heart and circulatory diseases.

This year marks the BHF’s 60th birthday and as we look forward to National Volunteering Week (1-7 June) we’d love you to join our team.

Volunteers can help on the shop floor, in administration, in our warehouses or as stock collection drivers. For students keen to develop their skills, those wanting experience to get back into work or members of the community hoping to meet new people, we can help you – and you can help the BHF save and improve lives.

For more information, head to www.bhf.org.uk/volunteer

Yours sincerely

James Jopling

Head of BHF Scotland

Volunteer appeal as LOVE Gorgie Farm closes to public

LOVE Gorgie Farm will close its doors to the public until further notice to ensure the safety of visitors, staff and the animals. 

Edinburgh’s beloved urban farm will, however, operate as a food bank and deliver free breakfast for children amid school closures. The farm is making a call for volunteers to help with the deliveries and urging people for food supplies to stock its foodbank and to be able to cater to as many kids as possible. 

This decision comes after the announcement from the UK and Scottish Governments to close all leisure spaces such as restaurants and bars during a time when schools will be closed too.

 Education and social care charity LOVE Learning, who recently took ownership of former Gorgie City Farm, aims to support those children in the community, especially those from deprived areas, by ensuring that they can start the day well fed. The urban farm is also providing a takeaway menu from their recently opened café.  

LOVE Gorgie Farm reopened last month after the site had gone into liquidation in November 2019. Earlier last week, LOVE Learning announced it would launch new services on the farm and it had plans to inaugurate the farm café today. 

Whilst the farm will be closed to the public, the LOVE Gorgie Farm team will still be working behind closed doors to maintain the site and take care of the animals until the situation goes back to normality. 

In order to ensure that the farm can reopen as soon as it is secure for the public and the team, LOVE Gorgie Farm is also encouraging those wanting to help the beloved urban farm during this delicate period to support them with donations and supplies. 

Two pages have been set up – an Amazon shopping list and a Go Fund Me page – for those wanting to help the farm stay afloat remotely. 

Lynn Bell, CEO of LOVE Learning said: “Following the advice from the Scottish Government regarding the evolution of the coronavirus outbreak, we have sadly decided to temporarily close LOVE Gorgie Farm.

 “However, we will be delivering free breakfast every morning so the children in the community can enjoy at least a meal a day now that schools are closed and we will also maintain our foodbank to ensure that vulnerable people can have access to food. 

“We are saddened to have to take this decision as the farm had only reopened to the public a few weeks ago and we were going to start providing new services and opening the café. However, the safety of our staff, visitors and animals is and will always be our first and foremost priority.

 “The fact that we are closed to the public does not mean that the farm is not operational. Our dedicated team will still need to work hard to maintain the farm and take care of our animals so that we can reopen once we go back to normality. And we need help and supplies to support their work.

 “We cannot stress enough how vital the help from the community will prove to work through this crisis.

“We need volunteers to help us deliver the breakfasts and meals from the café. Donations for our food bank will be paramount for those families who cannot afford it, and although we understand that we are living through a critical moment, any small donations will make a big difference.

 “We also understand that there will be people wanting to help us from the safety of their home and as such, we have set up an Amazon shopping list and a Go Fund Me page so anyone who wishes to make a contribution, no matter how little, can help us and provide supplies to keep the farm going. 

“We are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming support that we have received to get LOVE Gorgie Farm going. The generosity of the community has surpassed all our expectations thus far and we are sure that their invaluable help will continue to amaze us as we work through this critical moment.” 

Those wanting to place orders or volunteer should not hesitate to contact LOVE Gorgie Farm through gorgie@l-o-v-e.org.uk or call 0131 337 4202. 

Those wanting to provide the farm with supplies should find the wish-list here https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/1U51K7PPGAJ2S?ref_=wl_share and the Go Fund Me page here https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/LoveGorgie?utm_term=Kr264QwB9