Great Glen Challenge goes online
RSABI is launching an ambitious campaign to attract 500 new businesses and individuals to join its Supporter Scheme.
This year the charity, which helps people in Scottish agriculture, is unable to hold its annual Great Glen Challenge fundraising event which last year raised £53,000.
To help fill the gap in expected income, RSABI is launching the #RSABI500 campaign encouraging regular giving to the charity, with the Individual Supporter Scheme starting at just £2 per month.
RSABI chief executive Nina Clancy said: “The Supporter Scheme is always hugely important to RSABI, generating regular income which helps us to meet demand for our services.
“This year, with the loss of income from the Great Glen Challenge, the scheme is more important than ever. From just £2 a month, you can make a real difference to someone from the agricultural community who is struggling.
“We’re helping around 25 to 30 new clients every month, and with economic uncertainties and Brexit on the horizon we expect demand for our services to increase in the coming months.
“I’d urge people and businesses to sign up as a supporter and help us provide vital services to people in the industry.”
For more information and to sign up, visit the RSABI website.
Asda stores across Scotland call for vital food donations
Asda stores across Scotland have launched a food drive to help the community’s most vulnerable people access vital food and essentials through Covid-19.
Motherwell, Queensferry, Dyce, Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy are amongst the regions stores who will take part in the month-long food drive that will call on customers to donate vital food and hygiene essentials, which will support people in their local community.
For the first time, the retailer has installed a new signposting system to encourage customers to donate items their local food bank is most in need of, such as tinned, hygiene and non-perishable goods.
The food drive this year is in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, as foodbanks across the Trussell Trust network have seen a staggering rise in demand of 89% in need compared to April last year.
Jo Warner, Asda’s senior director for community said: “We already have permanent food collection points in store and encourage our customers to donate what they can, but over the next month we’re really trying to increase the number of donations as we support our partners through the unprecedented demand for emergency food parcels which food banks have sadly seen due to the pandemic.”
Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: “It’s not right that anyone needs a foodbank in the UK, so we’re pushing for long-term changes that get money into the pockets of people who most need it. But while we do, foodbanks need your donations to make sure help is there for anyone who needs it in the coming months. Anything you’re able to give will make such a difference – thank you.”
Care body calls for remembrance day
Scottish Care has called for a National Day of Mourning to remember those who have lost their lives to Covid-19.
In a letter to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, chief executive Donald Macaskill has asked for politicians to consider creating a memorial to show solidarity with those who have lost loved ones.
He said: “I fully appreciate that at the present time it would not be possible to name the date of such a day and that we are still very much fighting the disease and need to focus on this but I think we also require as a community to make the decision to have such a day in the future when we can be together to focus on those we need to remember.”
Donation to homeless charity
The Celtic FC Foundation has donated £10,000 to a Glasgow homeless charity.
Help the Homeless is a non-profit community group that focuses on giving food and essentials to the homeless, vulnerable groups, the elderly and those that are struggling financially.
The charity focuses on outreach support, and regularly holds pop-up kitchens in Glasgow - offering hot and cold meals, drinks, food parcels, clothes, shoes, toiletries, sleeping bags and other basic essentials.
Helen McMillan from Help the Homeless said: “We knew that we had to find a way to continue to support people in need during these uncertain times, so our operation had to be adapted.
“We have a group of volunteers cooking from their kitchens at home to provide hot meals to those in need. So far we have cooked and delivered over 2,500 meals and we have teamed up with Aspire Housing and Tesco Maryhill to provide over 300 food parcels to supported individuals, vulnerable and elderly people across Glasgow and Inverclyde.
“It is uncertain how long this will go on for but we are committed to supporting as many people in this crisis as we can. With new requests for meal support, toiletries and food parcels coming in at a rapid rate, we fear that this is only going to get worse for struggling people as the weeks go on.
“Celtic FC Foundation has really been a godsend. The money received has allowed us to provide so many meals, food parcels and toiletries to hundreds of people across Glasgow.”
Childcare charity launches support service
Flexible Childcare Services Scotland (FCSS) has announced it has received funding from the Wellbeing Fund, a fund to support organisations across the third sector that are providing important services to people who are most affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
The fund will allow FCSS to create a support and connect service where families will have regular contact with a known person from their childcare team. These fully qualified, experienced and first aid trained staff will provide direct support to children and families. They will also distribute connection boxes containing resources, toys, games, books and ideas to help families maintain their health and wellbeing during lockdown.
Susan McGhee, chief executive of FCSS, said: “There is lots on line but very little practical support for families with young children or children with additional needs to find things to do safely and happily from home. Many of the families we work with are telling us they do not have the toys, games, books and other equipment needed to keep their children occupied and engaged with learning. They simply can’t afford them. Even if they could, the ideas and direct support in how to use the resources, provided by our team, are as important as the items themselves.”
