Thanks to generous donations from individuals and organisations across the north-east, local family support charity Home-Start Aberdeen has been able to provide 63 families, including 115 children with winter gift packs in response to its All Wrapped Up appeal.
Several donors gifted bundles of warm coats, hats, gloves, scarfs, cosy pyjamas, toys, books and selection boxes for the charity to provide to the children of the families it supports. The team have been busy handing out the packs which include warm clothing and Christmas gifts to families this week from their new premises in Langstane House on Dee Street.
“With the wintry weather and colder temperatures already arriving it’s important that we can help as many families as possible now, said Eleanor McEwan, general manager, Home-Start Aberdeen.
“This is the second year we have run this appeal and thanks all our donors we’re going to be able to help more children keep warm this year. We’ve received such wonderful support from several individuals and organisations and we can’t thank them enough. It’s been another challenging year for families and we know many are struggling to make ends meet financially, to cover basic needs and heat their homes.”
One of the donors, Jonathan Findlay vice president of the Khyber Pass charitable organisation said: “Many families are really struggling right now and if we can help to make things a little easier and make sure the kids can keep warm and have something special to open on Christmas then it’s least we can do,” said Jonathan.
The volunteer team at Khyber Pass Association donated £1.3k worth of clothing towards Home-Start’s appeal, delivering cosy coats, pyjamas, hats, gloves and scarfs to the Home-Start charity shop on George Street.
For over 30 years the charity has been supporting vulnerable families across the city to prevent family crisis and breakdown. This support is usually provided via a home-visiting service where carefully selected and trained volunteers are there for families, visiting them in their own homes with compassionate, confidential help. These young families have at least one child under the age of five and are typically affected by social isolation, bereavement, relationship problems, illness, disability and financial hardship.