Anyone who would still like to donate to this year’s Stirling Observer Give A Gift Appeal is being asked to drop their donations into our collection points by this weekend if possible.
Charities and good causes are preparing to come along to choose from the items next week, and the Observer team will be out and about gathering things in over the coming days.
Among those who have already donated is Cambusbarron childminder Moira Kerr and the children she cares for who once again raised funds throughout the year with a bake sale.
Moira, a stalwart supporter of the appeal, and her young charges, raised an incredible £330 this year to buy toys and gifts.
Appeal co-ordinator, Observer reporter Kaiya Marjoribanks, said: “Moira is helping to nurture a new generation of community spirited young people and is a great example of how the community in Stirling gets together for the appeal.
“Not suprisingly perhaps, we have received more requests for help than ever this year, and we are keen to ensure we have as much available to the charities by next week’s collection day and get the majority of the gifts on their way in time for Christmas.
“We may be faced with the donations being spread more thinly than usual, but we don’t like to turn anyone away and hopefully those who are doing such great work all year round will still be able to help at least most of those they support.”
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 babies to teenagers.
Collected with the kind help of a host of drop-off points across the area, the gifts are then distributed via a wide range of charities, large and small, who are able to choose what they need for those children they support.
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; Cornton Vale and Glenochil Family Support Hubs; FVRH children’s ward; and Support4Families, which helps families affected by a loved one’s drug or alcohol misuse, including kinship carers.
In recent years groups and foodbanks set up by local volunteers in the Observer circulation area including CRAG (Cowie), Ladies of the Rock, and Love in a Box, have also been able to receive toys from the appeal for children and families they support, and other requests have been fulfilled.
Drop-off points include: STIRLING – Morrisons supermarket, Springkerse Retail Park; Barber Co, 20 Upper Craigs FK8 2DG; Nationwide Building Society, Port Street; Waitrose, Burghmuir Retail Park FK7 7NZ; Stirling Albion, Forthbank Stadium FK7 7UJ; ABERFOYLE Intrepid, Main St, FK8 3UG BALFRON Andrew Anderson & Sons, 64B Buchanan Street G63 0TW; BANNOCKBURN – Jintz Express/Post Office, 17 Quakerfield; 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. Please note, the Observer office is closed for the time being and not one of the drop-off points.
•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 for health and hygiene reasons.
•Vouchers – Since the Covid pandemic, we have given the option of donating gift cards and vouchers to offer flexibility to those donating and to the charities. Please mail vouchers and cards, marked Stirling Observer Give a Gift Appeal, c/o Kaiya Marjoribanks, Mailroom, One Central Quay, Glasgow, G3 8DA. Please include details of the value. If you would like a confirmation of receipt, provide your name and postal address or email.
More details at (01786) 451110 or email: news@stirlingobserver.co.uk or kaiya.marjoribanks@reachplc.com.
