CELTIC FC Foundation is delighted to confirm that through your generosity, the 2016 Christmas Appeal has been our most successful to date.
A remarkable total of over £220,000 has been raised in less than two months through the collective effort of so many people including supporters, the Club, the Manager, players, Directors, Trustees, partners, sponsors and funders.
And as quick as we possibly could, the money collected was distributed to those who need it most. In summary:
Local families with children: £78k
Local OAPs: £5k
Children’s charities: £45k
Women’s Aid charities: £17k
Homeless, refugees, other vulnerable groups: £75k
As well as direct donations, we held four key fundraising initiatives this year:
– Our inaugural Founding Fathers’ Fast on Sunday, November 6 (£2k).
– Celtic Sleep-Out on Saturday, November 12 (£80k).
– The Ghirls for Good ladies event on Saturday, December 3 (£15k).
– Our annual bucket collection on Saturday, December 17 (£13k).
The backing we received in every area has been just incredible and, as a result and in honour of our founding fathers, we have now assisted a total of 373 local families who are faced with poverty and hardship. Santa is on his way to those homes and the magic of Christmas is well and truly alive.
We also helped 50 local pensioners through the provision of hampers and supermarket vouchers.
In addition, support has been provided to:
Simon Community Scotland
A Christmas lunch for over 130 service users was held at Celtic Park on Sunday, December 11.
Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity
A significant donation and a Christmas gift for children living with long-term health conditions. For many of these children this is the only gift they will receive this Christmas.
Glasgow East Women’s Aid
A Christmas meal and gifts for families in the refuge.
Scottish Refugee Council
Seasonal support for refugee families who have just arrived in Scotland as well as other vulnerable or disadvantaged refugee families.
Glasgow City Mission
Supporting the Foodbank service which, each week, serves an average of 60 households with emergency food and also aims to connect them with other activities.
Loaves & Fishes
Christmas hampers and toys for families in need and those experiencing or facing homelessness.
Spirit Aid
Food hampers, toys and clothing to those in need in the West of Scotland.
The Wayside Club
A refuge and a hot meal during the festive period for the homeless.
The Invisibles
Support on the streets for the Glasgow’s homeless through the provision of sleeping bags, clothing, footwear, toiletries and signposting. Celtic sponsor, Intelligent Car Leasing, matched our donation so that we could jointly donate a desperately needed van to allow transportation of all provisions.
Salvation Army Parkhead
Food, clothing, advice, signposting, parents and toddlers group and other support for the homeless.
St. Roch’s FC Foundation
A festive lunch in the north of the city for local pensioners on December 27 and another for those who are homeless on December 28.
Glasgow Night Shelter
Supporting homeless refugees and asylum seekers in Glasgow primarily by providing a hot meal and a safe place for men to stay overnight.
Elpis Centre
A Christmas meal, activities and individual gifts for young women aged 16-25 who have found themselves homeless or have been in care for varying periods of time.
Children’s Parties
We hosted two Christmas parties at Celtic Park for approximately 400 local primary school children – the schools included Sacred Heart, Thorntree, Wellshot, St Paul’s Shettleston, Saracen, St Teresa’s, St Mungo’s and Keppoch Nursery.
We also supported charities and community organisations throughout the UK and Ireland:
– OBAN: Hope Kitchen
– NEWCASTLE: The People’s Kitchen
– GREENOCK: Children in Poverty Inverclyde
– INVERNESS: Moray Firth Radio’s Cash for Kids
– ABERDEEN: Grampian Women’s Aid
– DUBLIN: Women’s Aid Dublin
– BELFAST: Women’s Aid Belfast and Lisburn
– SALTCOATS: North Ayrshire Women’s Aid
– FIFE: Fife Gingerbread
– BELFAST/NEWTOWNABBEY: Northern Ireland Hospice
– CUMNOCK: St John the Evangelist Church
– EDINBURGH: Eric Liddell Centre
– SOMERSET: Fair Frome
– LONDON:
St Anne’s Primary School, Whitechapel
Cardinal Hume Centre
Neighbours of Poplar
Hillingdon Cherubs (connected to Neonatal Unit at Hillingdon Hospital)
Readi-Bank Foodbank
Camden New Journal Christmas Hamper Appeal
Local Children’s Hospital, Wimbledon
The Brett Foundation
London North West Healthcare Charitable Fund
Kent area
RNLI Ramsgate
Pilgrims Hospice
SVP Society Broadstairs
Kent Air Ambulance
Kent Foster Care Association
Our Barn
Happy Days Children’s Charity
Big Issue Foundation
As well as financial donations, we also received and passed on over 500 toys and gifts.
Each attendee at our Ghirls for Good event (320) generously donated a gift for a local child who is sick or disadvantaged and the following organisations will benefit from these wonderful contributions:
– Children in Care in Edinburgh & Fife
– Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity
– Glasgow East Women’s Aid
– Glasgow North East Social Work
– Glasgow Women’s Aid
– Loaves & Fishes
– Scottish Refugee Council
– Simon Community Scotland
– Spirit Aid
In addition, we were fortunate to be selected as one of the beneficiaries of Exsel’s ‘Gifts for Glasgow’ initiative and the 200 toys and gifts received were subsequently donated to:
– The Salvation Army Parkhead
– With Kids
– Sean’s Trust
– Possibilities for East End Kids (PEEK)
Celtic Chief Executive Peter Lawwell said: “Celtic FC Foundation’s Christmas Appeal resonates so closely with the origins of our Club, and supporters should be rightly proud of their magnificent efforts once again in delivering such a fantastic total.
“It’s wonderful to see so many individuals and groups joining forces to help those who are struggling at Christmas time. That unique sense of unity and purpose within the Celtic family is extraordinary, and it is something we are so proud of.”
Tony Hamilton, Celtic FC Foundation Chief Executive, said: “I don’t even know where to begin. The generosity displayed in the last couple of months has been nothing short of miraculous. Absolutely astounding.
“Thanks to our supporters and volunteers, many lives across the UK and Ireland will be better this Christmas. The Christmas Appeal sits at the very heart of our being.
“On behalf of everyone connected with Celtic FC Foundation, thank you for helping us to raise more than the roof this Christmas. I hope everyone has a very happy and peaceful time over the festive period.”
