Today, November 6 marks 136 years since the formation of our great Club. On that day at St Mary’s Church in the Calton, Brother Walfrid and his fellow Founding Fathers made a commitment to help those most in need.

And, on this anniversary, Celtic FC Foundation – the Club’s charitable arm – are delighted to officially launch our 2023 Christmas Appeal. The Club has once again kicked-off the campaign with a wonderful donation of £10,000, as we ask you to join us in helping to Light Up Someone’s Christmas this festive season.

Although ordinarily a time of joy for most of us, for those facing hardship in their lives, this can often become one of the most stressful and challenging times of the year.

We hope this year’s Appeal will bring comfort, and light up the lives of many who would otherwise struggle over the festive period.

This includes 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 and refugees, as well as a host of others.

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

In addition to humbly requesting donations, the Appeal will also see the return of a host of fundraising events and initiatives, as well as the introduction of some new ones.

These include:

• November 4-18 – Thanks to Club sponsors Dafabet and Magners, the shirts from Saturday’s match against Ross County featured our Christmas Appeal logo and these are now being auctioned
• November 6 – Founding Fathers’ Fast
• November 6 – Virtual Christmas Tree
• November 17 – Celtic Sleep Out, Derry
• November 18 – Celtic Sleep Out, Glasgow
• November 20 – December 20 – Christmas Appeal Prize Draw
• November 24 – Ghirls for Good festive extravaganza, sponsored by the Ellen Kane Trust
• November 25 – Our annual Christmas Appeal matchday bucket collection at the cinch Premiership match against Motherwell
• December 2 – Celtic Sleep Out, London
• December 17 – The Santa Stroll 1 Mile or 5K

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.

And keep an eye out for some exciting new Christmas Appeal fundraising initiatives which will take place during the campaign, including a Virtual Christmas Tree.

Thanks also to Club sponsor, Intelligent Car Leasing, who have very kindly donated their LED advertising allocation again for the entire season, which allows us to share Christmas Appeal news at home matches.

Speaking of the Appeal, Celtic FC Foundation Chief Executive, Tony Hamilton, said: “Year on year, we are simply astounded and humbled by the incredible generosity of the Celtic support. Times continue to be tough for so many but the fans never fail to step up and get behind our Christmas Appeal fundraising efforts.

“Sadly, for many, Christmas will be a time of pressure and strain rather than comfort and joy but with the backing of the Celtic family once again, we are aiming to assist the most vulnerable within our communities.

“We’re extremely grateful to everyone who has supported us in the past and we thank all of those who’ll be getting behind this year’s Appeal and making a genuine difference.”

Celtic Chief Executive, Michael Nicholson, added: “Christmas can be a very challenging time for many people but the work of the Foundation through the Appeal, can bring some light to the lives of those in need of our support.

“The Foundation plays an integral part in ensuring that our Club’s charitable ethos and community focus continue to this day and that our Founding Fathers’ legacy lives on. We are, therefore, delighted to kick-off this year’s Christmas Appeal with a £10,000 donation from the Club.

“As always, the Appeal requires an enormous collective effort between our colleagues, players, supporters and sponsors to support the Foundation but the aim, once again, is to ensure that we assist even more people this Christmas.”

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 Light Up Someone’s Christmas this festive season.

HERE is a reminder of the incredible difference you made in 2022.

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 TreeHERE
11. Contribute via our Christmas Appeal Logo Shirt Auction which is now live and will close on Saturday, November 18 HERE
12. Sign up for the Celtic Sleep Out, Derry on Friday, November 17 HERE
13. Sign up for the Celtic Sleep Out, Glasgow on Saturday, November 18 HERE
14. Enter our Christmas Appeal Prize Draw, which will kick-off on Monday, November 20 – further details to follow.
15. Come along to the Ghirls for Good event on Friday, November 24 HERE
16. Support our Christmas Appeal Bucket Collection on Saturday, November 25 – to register as a volunteer collector, call 0141 551 4321 or email [email protected]
17. Sign up for the Celtic Sleep Out, London on Saturday, December 2 HERE
18. Sign up for the Santa Stroll 1 Mile or 5K on Sunday, December 17 HERE

Thank you for your magnificent support.

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