We continue our spotlight series on the organisations we hope to support through this year’s Christmas Appeal, with a closer look at the work of The Invisibles, a Glasgow-based voluntary organisation, which aims to provide comfort to those living on the city’s streets.
Formed six-and-a half years ago, the organisation delivers practical support to those facing homelessness, by handing out a variety of essentials such as sleeping bags, clothing, footwear and toiletries.
The impact of COVID-19 has brought new challenges for The Invisibles, as their volunteers have been unable to take to the streets since March, due to government guidance. And while many of Glasgow’s homeless community have been housed in hotels or hostels during this period, there are still a number of people who are spending each night on the streets.
While unable to provide their regular service, The Invisibles have been eager to continue to provide assistance to those in need and have worked in partnership with other organisations to ensure that food and clothing have been distributed in recent months.
Speaking of Celtic FC Foundation’s support in the past, Billy Reid of The Invisibles, said: “When the Invisibles first started, Celtic FC Foundation were one of the first organisations to make a contribution to us and actually helped us to purchase our first van. At that time, we were just using our own cars so this made a massive difference to what we were able to do as an organisation.
“Since then we’ve continued to be lucky enough to have received financial support through the Foundation’s Christmas Appeals – and, more recently, the Football for Good Fund – and we’ve also had a lot of backing just from people finding out about us through the Celtic connection. The financial support has really helped us to purchase and distribute a host of really important items that people need when they are living on the streets, on a day to day basis.”
With your backing, we hope to be able to provide assistance to those most in need this Christmas and Billy was keen to express the thanks of The Invisibles for the support received, adding:
“We’d like to thank the thousands of fans who’ve donated to the Appeal over the years. It’s had a massive impact on our delivery and, in turn, those we support.”
Through the Appeal, we want to help hundreds of local families, giving them the kind of Christmas most of us take for granted. With lots of food on the table and gifts for the kids. Making sure Santa pays a visit on Christmas Eve, despite COVID-19.
We also want to support pensioners on our doorstep, by lending a hand at a difficult time of year. Local charities need our help too. We can make a massive difference to the lives of children, the homeless, refugees and those living in refuge or facing other challenges.
The generosity and compassion of the Celtic Family is truly unrivalled and once again, we are looking for your support, to get behind this Christmas Appeal phase of the Football for Good Fund.
We are a Club like no other, and together, we can continue to bring comfort to those who need it most.
To get behind the Appeal, you can:
- Donate online HERE
- Donate via PayPal HERE
- Donate via Facebook HERE
- Donate by text – text ‘CELTIC’ followed by ‘£1’, ‘£5’ or ‘£10’ to 70085*
- Donate by Cheque – payable to ‘Celtic FC Foundation’ and sent to Celtic FC Foundation, Celtic Park, Glasgow G40 3RE.
- Contribute to our Virtual Toy Drive HERE
- Sign up for our Stay Up for the Champions sponsored event on Friday, December 4 / Saturday, December 5 HERE
- Sign up for our Boogie for Good sponsored event on Friday, December 11 HERE
- Purchase your personalised ‘Celtic FC Foundation Letter from Santa’ HERE
- Purchase our brand new ‘This Land was Made for You and Me’ Foundation T-shirt HERE
- Provide support through your Christmas shopping via Give as you Live and AmazonSmile HERE
- Purchase your copy of the stunning Gerard Burns Glittering Prize, the perfect Christmas Gift HERE
- Contribute via our Christmas Appeal eBay auction, featuring shirts from the AC Milan v Celtic match on Thursday, December 3 (with Celtic FC Foundation branding) and Celtic v St Johnstone on Sunday, December 6 (with Christmas Appeal branding). The auction will run from Monday, December 7 – Saturday, December 12.
- Contribute via our Virtual Bucket Collection on Sunday, December 6.
Thank you for your magnificent support.
*Texts will cost the donation amount, plus one standard rate message
