One Community Scotland (OCS) will be spreading Christmas cheer this festive season as they distribute gifts to families across Glasgow.
Working with the Spirit of Christmas charity, OCS have received nearly 500 donations which they are now delivering to families they work with in the area.
Children and young people aged from 0 to 24 receive gifts, alongside vouchers to assist families with the cost of Christmas included from Glasgow’s Spirit of Christmas and Cash for Kids.
Glasgow’s Spirit of Christmas was founded in 2014 with one ‘Santa Stop Here’ sign in a car park which inspired people from the city to donate gifts and become a secret Santa for local children.
Now in it’s tenth year the annual gift campaign supports families living in poverty in Glasgow and the surrounding area, including North and South Lanarkshire, East and West Dunbartonshire, Dumbarton District, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, North, South and East Ayrshire, Argyll and Bute.
Almost one in four children in Scotland, around 250,000, currently live in poverty. Since 2014 some 102,700 local young people have benefited from Glasgow’s Spirit of Christmas with more than £3.8million worth of gifts donated.
OCS are one of more than 100 registered charities which work with Glasgow’s Spirit of Christmas alongside health and social care partnerships, local authorities, community projects and groups.
Thanking everyone who has donated, One Community Scotland lead Khadija Coll said: “The people of Glasgow have been so incredibly generous. Thanks to these donations 480 children and young people who we work with in the city and the surrounding area will receive gifts this festive season. The vouchers that have been donated will also help struggling families afford food and essentials. We can’t thank everyone who donated enough.”
One Community Scotland offer support to young people and families who are new to Scotland. The award-winning charity aims to help those from a diverse background overcome barriers and reach their potential as they create a life in the country.
Present donations have now closed to allow One Community Scotland to distribute the gifts.
