Today, November 6, marks 137 years since Celtic Football Club was formed at St Mary’s in the Calton, where Brother Walfrid and the club’s other Founding Fathers made a stand to help those most in need within their local community.

Celtic FC Foundation – the club’s charitable arm – are today delighted to officially launch our 2024 Christmas Appeal. And the club has once again generously kicked-off the campaign with a wonderful donation of £10,000, as we ask you to join us in ‘Making Christmas Magic’ for those who need our support.

The launch of the Appeal also coincides with our annual Anniversary Mass at St Mary’s, which will take place at 7pm this evening and will be conducted by new parish priest, Father John Mulholland, celebrating Celtic’s long and illustrious history.

The festive period, although ordinarily a joyous time for most of us, can often be one of the most difficult and challenging times of the year for those facing hardship in their lives.Through this year’s Appeal, we hope to assist local families facing poverty, so they can enjoy the type of Christmas that many of us take for granted.

As well as pensioners, women and children in refuge, the homeless community, refugees, and a host of others who would otherwise struggle over the festive period.

But as always, we can’t do this without you, the magnificent Celtic support.

In addition to humbly requesting donations, the Appeal will also see the return of a host of fundraising events and initiatives.

These include:

• November 6 – Founding Fathers’ Fast
• November 8 – Virtual Christmas Tree
• November 15 – Celtic Sleep Out, Wicklow
• November 16 – Celtic Sleep Out, Glasgow
• November 20 – December 20 – Christmas Appeal Prize Draw
• November 29 – Ghirls for Good festive extravaganza, sponsored by the Ellen Kane Trust
• December 7 – Our annual Christmas Appeal matchday bucket collection at the home William Hill Premiership match against Hibernian
• December 8 – The Santa Stroll 1 Mile or 5K
• December 9 – 16 – Thanks to Club sponsors Dafabet and Magners, the shirts from the match against Hibernian will feature our Christmas Appeal logo and these will be auctioned
• December 13 – Celtic Sleep Out, London

Thanks once again to the magnificent support from Celtic Football Club, supporters will be able to get behind the Appeal while they do their Christmas shopping, as we have come together with the club’s Retail department to create a very special ‘Walfrid’s Wishlist’. Every festive item you purchase from this magical selection will result in a contribution being made towards the Appeal – just look for the Christmas Appeal Snow Globe while shopping.

We will also be launching a brand new, limited edition Celtic FC Foundation T-shirt which will be sold online via the Celtic Store, with net proceeds dedicated to the Appeal.

Thanks also to club sponsor, Intelligent Car Leasing, as well as friends of the Foundation, Ocean Scotland, who have both very kindly donated advertising space – Intelligent Car Leasing’s matchday LEDs and Ocean Scotland’s outdoor screens throughout Glasgow -allowing us to share our Christmas Appeal messaging.

Speaking of the Appeal, Celtic FC Foundation Chief Executive, Tony Hamilton, said: “The Christmas Appeal will allow countless individuals, elderly people and families with young children to be included, alongside everyone else.

“That’s only possible because of the support Celtic FC Foundation gets from across the world. Without the backing of supporters, funders and corporate backers, none of this would be possible.

“We recognise that this is a tough time for the vast majority of people but even the smallest contribution will help make the biggest difference. A sincere thanks from everyone at the Foundation to those people who can help us this year.”

Celtic Chief Executive, Michael Nicholson, added: “Celtic FC Foundation continues to be at the very heart of everything that we do at the club. Through the Christmas Appeal, which the club is delighted to continue to support, the Foundation will hopefully bring some magic to Christmas for those in need, at what can be a difficult time for people in our communities.

“I would like to thank the Celtic supporters, who go that extra mile each year so that the Foundation can assist even more people at Christmas, through this fantastic initiative. Thanks also to our colleagues within the Foundation, volunteers and Trustees, our colleagues across the club, and our partners, all of whom continue to make such a positive impact on the lives of those supported by the Foundation.”

The generosity and compassion of the Celtic support is truly unsurpassed and we simply cannot make a difference to the lives of so many without you.

Together we can ‘Make Christmas Magic’.

HERE is a reminder of the incredible difference you made in 2023.

To get behind this year’s Christmas Appeal, you can:

1. Donate online HERE
2. Donate via PayPal HERE
3. Donate via Facebook HERE
4. Donate by text – text ‘CELTIC’ followed by ‘£1’, ‘£5’ or ‘£10’ to 70085*
5. Donate in Cash – there are collection boxes located in all Celtic Stores
6. Donate by Cheque – payable to ‘Celtic FC Foundation’ and sent to Celtic FC Foundation, Celtic Park, Glasgow G40 3RE
7. Provide support through your Christmas shopping in Celtic stores or online by purchasing an item from ‘Walfrid’s Wishlist’ HERE
8. Provide support through your Christmas shopping via Give as you Live HERE
9. Take part in our Founding Fathers’ Fast and donate £5 through one of the outlets above. Get involved HERE
10. Make a donation and hang an item on our Virtual Christmas Tree HERE
11. Sign up for the Celtic Sleep Out, Wicklow on Friday, November 15 HERE
12. Sign up for the Celtic Sleep Out, Glasgow on Saturday, November 16 HERE
13. Enter our Christmas Appeal Prize Draw, which will kick-off on Wednesday, November 20 – further details to follow.
14. Come along to the Ghirls for Good event on Friday, November 29 HERE
15. Support our Christmas Appeal Bucket Collection on Saturday, December 7– register as a volunteer collector HERE
16. Sign up for the Santa Stroll 1 Mile or 5K on Sunday, December 8 HERE
17. Contribute via our Christmas Appeal Logo Shirt Auction from December 9 -16 – further details to follow
18. Sign up for the Celtic Sleep Out, London on Friday, December 13 HERE

Thank you for your magnificent support.

*Texts will cost the donation amount, plus one standard rate message.