Today, the homeless gather at Celtic Park

131 years ago today, in the hall of St Mary’s in the Calton area of Glasgow, Bro. Walfrid convened a meeting that concluded with the note: “A football club will be formed for the maintenance of dinner tables for the children and unemployed.”

While practically every other football club in the world formed because men wanted to play football, Celtic were formed to feed the poor.  We have a remarkable heritage.  This, more than European Cups or double trebles, is the greatest part of our history.

This afternoon, Glasgow’s homeless will descend on Celtic Park where your Foundation will provide a hot meal.  Winter brings acute problems for our homeless, each year, many do not survive the season.  But this time also marks the start of the most intense period of activiey for the Foundation.

The poor and underprivileged, the homeless and forgotten, across Scotland, the rest of the UK, Ireland and beyond are given whatever is possible.  All of this depends on the work of Celtic supporters and others, who see the work of the Foundation and commit to helping.

We are all busy getting on with our lives, but the Foundation makes it easy for us to be responsible for someone’s hot meal.  It makes it possible for us to bear witness as Celtic fans, not just for the goals and the glory, but for the reasons, which are today 131 years old.  What a great thing to be part of.

You can join today’s Founding Fathers’ Fast.  You don’t need to stop eating all day, just eat less than normal, and donate £5 to the Foundation here.  It is the most enjoyable money you will spend all week.

Or you can donate by texting ‘CELT07’ followed by ‘£5’ to 70070.

Thank you.