CELTIC FC Foundation are completely overwhelmed and exceptionally proud to confirm the wonderful success of our 2015 Christmas Appeal.
A remarkable total of over £110,000 has been raised in less than two months through the collective effort of so many people including supporters, the Club, players, Directors, Trustees, partners, sponsors and funders.
As well as direct donations, we held four key fundraising initiatives this year:
– Our inaugural Celtic Sleep Out on Saturday, November 14.
– The Ghirls for Good Ladies Lunch on Saturday, December 12.
– Our annual bucket collection on Saturday, December 19.
– An eBay Christmas Appeal auction.
The backing we received in every area has been just magnificent.
Thanks to your incredible support, in honour of our founding fathers, we have now assisted a total of 250 local families who are faced with poverty and hardship. Santa will now visit those children and keep the magic alive. They will enjoy the kind of Christmas most of us take for granted.
We also helped 75 local pensioners through the provision of hampers and supermarket vouchers.
In addition, support has been provided to:
Yorkhill Children’s Charity
Providing 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
Christmas meal and gifts for families in the refuge.
Scottish Refugee Council
Supporting refugee families who have just arrived in Scotland, as well as other vulnerable or disadvantaged refugee families.
Glasgow City Mission
Supporting the evening drop-in service, a lifeline for around 130 men and women each night, who are battling homelessness and in the middle of crisis.
Loaves & Fishes
Christmas hampers for the homeless / those living in poverty.
Spirit Aid
Christmas hampers for those in need in the West of Scotland.
The Wayside Club Centre
A refuge and meal on Christmas Day for the homeless.
The Invisibles
Support on the streets for the City’s homeless.
Salvation Army Parkhead
Provision of food, clothing, advice, signposting, parents and toddlers group and other support for the homeless.
Glasgow Night Shelter
Providing somewhere safe and warm to stay overnight for people who, because of their immigration status, cannot access normal homeless services.
Simon Community Scotland
A Christmas Party for 120 services users at Celtic Park on Sunday, December 6.
Children’s Party
A Christmas Party for 200 P5 children from five East End schools at Celtic Park on Wednesday, December 16.
Saracen Primary School
A breakfast with Santa and gifts for the children on Wednesday, December 23.
Parkhead Community Nursery
Children’s Christmas Party and gifts.
War Child
Supporting Syrian refugee children and their families.
Mary’s Meals
Working in 12 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, helping to provide one good meal for children in a place of learning, where they can receive an education that could one day free them from poverty.
St Roch’s
Supporting a lunch for local people experiencing homelessness on Monday, December 28.
Toy Donation
Each attendee at our Ghirls for Good ladies lunch donated a gift for a local child who is sick or disadvantaged. With a value totalling in excess of £3,000, these gifts were then presented to Yorkhill Children’s Charity, Spirit Aid, Loaves & Fishes, Glasgow East Women’s Aid, Kids Out, Glasgow Women’s Aid, Simon Community Scotland and children in care in Edinburgh and Fife.
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.
“It’s wonderful to see so many individuals and groups coming together to help those who are struggling this Christmas time.
“That unique sense of unity and purpose is extraordinary and supporters should never underestimate the difference they have made.”
Tony Hamilton, Celtic FC Foundation CEO, said: “The way that the Celtic supporters, our partners, sponsors, Club and Foundation directors and staff and so many other people connected with this football club and its charitable arm have responded, has been nothing short of phenomenal.
“Through your efforts in the past six weeks, hundreds of families with young children, vulnerable pensioners, international and local refugees, the homeless community and women and children in refuge have seen first-hand what the generosity of the Celtic Family means.
“If you want to define ‘More than a Club’ then look no further than this Christmas Appeal.
“On behalf of everyone connected with Celtic FC Foundation, I cannot thank those responsible for fundraising enough – they are a credit to Celtic. I hope everyone has a very happy and peaceful Christmas.”
