It’s been a tough year for more people than ever before, with everyone watching their spending as costs go up, up, up.
But once again you’ve disproved that old myth we Scots are tight – absolutely smashing all expectations of The Big Christmas Food Appeal.
For the second year in a row, The Press and Journal, Evening Express, Energy Voice and Original 106 asked readers and listeners to back foodbank charity Cfine, which supports foodbanks across Grampian and the Highlands.
And for the second year in a row, you’ve gone above and beyond.
We can now reveal that so far, donations of food have more than doubled – with 8,500kg of pasta, tinned meats, vegetables, soups, desserts and other long-life essentials already received. That’s the equivalent of 20,952 meals.
Our tally last Christmas Eve – although more was later added – was 8,505 meals.
There will also be more to come, with the final crates from our drop-off point at The Trinity Centre due to be weighed and added on next week.
On the Justgiving page, nearly £7,500 has been raised and donations are still coming in.
That means since the Big Christmas Food Appeal first launched last year, we’ve raised more than £16,200 for Cfine.
Support from all over – in lots of ways
When we set up this year’s appeal, we were mindful that many people who had traditionally donated may be struggling more themselves.
But, as Gothenburg Great Willie Miller said when giving us his backing during a visit to Aberdeen, even small donations make a big difference.
We’ve had Brownies and Scouts organising food collections and businesses donating cash, selection boxes and trolley loads of food – and even an electric van.
Theatre company Ten Feet Tall also backed the effort, asking for donations from its free radio drama An Aberdeen Christmas Carol – which you can listen to exclusively on the P&J website – to go to The Big Food Appeal and the city’s warm hubs.
The Trinity Centre gave us a free unit to use for a food-drop off point, which was manned seven days a week by our staff, who also attended food drives at both HM Theatre and The Tivoli’s pantomimes, and collected cash at The Proclaimers at P&J Live.
‘Blown away’ by generosity
Graeme Robbie, senior development manager at Cfine, said: “We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the Big Christmas Food Appeal so far.
“We have been blown away by the generosity shown so far and have already exceeded last year’s amount of food raised. This year has been exceptionally difficult for so many and we are well aware that people have less disposable income to donate, so it really is heartening to see such a huge response to the appeal.
“To everyone who has donated so far, please know that your contributions will support vulnerable individuals, families and communities through the winter months and beyond – thank you.”
Craig Walker, managing editor of the P&J and Evening Express, said: “We went into this year’s appeal knowing it was our most important yet, with the cost of living crisis forcing so many more people to tighten their belts and make impossible choices.
“But we were braced too – for the exact same reason – for it to be more of a challenge to drum up the kind of support we have seen in the past.
“So we have been blown away by the absolutely incredible generosity we have seen from everyone once again.
“From the reader who came to our drop-off shop with a single tin that was all they could afford from their weekly budget to a business giving hundreds of pounds – every supporter deserves a huge thank you.”
We must keep talking
Slow cookers, hot water bottles, grills and a kettle have also been received.
As well as collecting donations, an important part of The Big Christmas Food Appeal is highlighting the help that is available in our communities, and debunking some of the myths – and stigma – that remains around foodbanks.
Uist and Barra Foodbank project manager Janet Atkin told us the best way to do that is to keep talking and educating communities.
“The best way I can put it is people who used to donate are now using the food bank themselves,” she said.
“You don’t know what’s happening behind closed doors, you have no idea what the situation is, just be mindful of that.”
Over the last six weeks, we’ve also showcased some of the work other groups are doing to keep their communities fed – like the Buckie High pupils who run a larder from the local football club and Somebody Cares, where volunteers have worked round the clock to prepare 60,000 festive food parcels for people in Aberdeen this year.
Foodbanks can also help with another issue hitting our communities: isolation. Breakfast clubs, lunch clubs and even youth cafes use donations from foodbanks to provide healthy meals – and sometimes even training opportunities – while also giving people the chance to come together and get some company.
Thanks to your support, such work can continue well into 2023.
Conversation