Celtic FC Foundation has made a £5,000 donation to the Riverside Day Centre in Newton Stewart to help with essential repairs after extensive flooding hit the town and surrounding areas.

The centre, which is also a registered charity, is a hub in Newton Stewart which is used to provide hot food and company for the local elderly community, as well as a local Cancer drop-in centre when available on weekdays.  

The Centre has recently been severely affected by the brutal flooding which has battered the south west of Scotland and water damage has put the premises out of bounds until the repair work to the floor and appliances can be carried out. 

The Riverside Centre solely depends on donations all year round and this recent disaster is a huge setback for many senior citizens who rely on the services provided by the centre to keep them active and integrated. The centre receives approximately 50 pensioners per day and provides breakfast and a three-course lunch and with no facilities available at the moment, the community has been harshly displaced. 

Health and wellbeing are key areas of our DNA, and Celtic FC Foundation are delighted to be able to make this donation towards getting the centre back up and running as quickly as possible.

Celtic FC Foundation’s Chief Executive Tony Hamilton said: “Large parts of Scotland have been destroyed through flooding in recent weeks. The centre at Newton Stewart is an integral part of the community – many people depend on it – and we are delighted that at Celtic FC Foundation we are in a position to offer assistance.

“Hopefully this money will go some way in repairing the damage caused by the floods and give the local elderly people who use the centre the opportunity to return quickly. We are very grateful to everyone who has contributed to the Foundation to allow us to make this donation.”

Dr John Macdonald, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Riverside Day Centre said: “I am overwhelmed by the generosity of Celtic FC Foundation in donating five thousand pounds‎ towards the Riverside Centre in Newton Stewart to help us recover from the devastation suffered in the recent floods.

“There is wonderful community spirit in the town and the response of volunteers helping us clear up and remove our destroyed hall floor has been fantastic but we could not anticipate such huge financial support from such a generous and unexpected source. We are most sincerely grateful.”