Scarcely a week goes by without me asking you to support Mary’s Meals. This year, every school day, over 5,000 kids in Malawi or Liberia ate a meal paid for by CQN’ers, or ate in a school kitchen built by the money you raised.
By now, you know as well as I do, the impact this has. School attendance increased by an average of 30% where these meals were provided, as kids don’t need to work for their food. They are educated, learning skills, which will provide life-long improvements in earning capacity and opportunities.
Being better nourished also makes them healthier; mortality rates will improve as fewer succumb to the afflictions of extreme poverty. All because you donated a few pounds here and there.
Alzheimer Scotland were in touch after you raised an incredible sum for them after we learned of Billy McNeill’s condition:
“Thank you so much for supporting the work of Alzheimer Scotland by raising £3264.37 through your BT MyDonate page “Celtic fans for Alzheimer Scotland”.
Dementia is a major health and social care challenge in Scotland and there are currently over 90,000 people with dementia, a number that is expected to double within the next 25 years.
Our work includes:
• Provide our network of Dementia Advisors across Scotland to support people with dementia, their families and carers and work with local communities to make them more dementia-friendly.
• Support funding Dementia Nurses post in every health board in Scotland to lead vital improvements in dementia care.
• Provide our freephone 24-hour Dementia Helpline (0808 808 3000)
• Fund the Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Research Centre in partnership with the University of Edinburgh
• Campaign for the rights of people with dementia
Best wishes and thank you again for your fundraising support we really do appreciate it.
Gillian Dimmock, Fundraising Support Officer.”
For 13 years we have held the CQN Charity Golf Day in Aberdour, the summer focus of our fundraising. This year, CelticRollerCoaster wrote on behalf of the Walk with Shay campaign, who received £1300 from the CQN Golf Day. Shay (4) suffers from Cerebral Palsy and will need help, not available on the NHS, to sit, walk and lead as normal a life as most of us take for granted:
“Thank you for the fantastic £1300 raised at the CQN Golf Day and for the thousands more CQN’ers contributed to Walk for Shay throughout the year. The great news is that Shay’s development has really benefited. The impact you have made on one small boy is incalculable.”
After receiving a donation from the Golf Day, The Celtic FC Foundation wrote:
“Thank you so much for the wonderful donation of £1,100.00 which has been allocated to our 2017 Christmas Appeal.
“The Appeal reflects the very heart of the Club’s charitable and humble beginnings as it aims to follow in the footsteps of Brother Walfrid, providing comfort to those on our doorstep.
“This year, we want to help around 300 local families facing poverty, to provide a meal on the table and gifts for the kids. We want to bring the magic of Christmas to those homes. We are also looking to help vulnerable local pensioners to ease the financial burden at a challenging time of year plus a number of other local charities who support those experiencing homelessness or other disadvantage.
“The generosity and compassion of the Celtic Family is unique and unsurpassed and CQN’s gesture is a perfect example of that.
“Please pass on our thanks for Sharing the Spirit of Celtic this Christmas to all those involved.”
The Celtic FC Foundation is now an integral part of being a Celtic supporter. You did not just contribute at the Golf Day, on dozens of occasions throughout the year, you answered the call to get involved. Last week, we learned it wasn’t just 300 families who benefited from the Spirit of Celtic, Christmas campaign:
435 families in Glasgow and Lanarkshire in poverty and hardship were assisted. Aid also went to vulnerable pensioners in the city, hundreds of our homeless, vulnerable women and men, while gifts were given to the chronically sick children in our community. The Foundation reached those in need in London, Ireland and as far as Canada.
Being able to invest the emotional energy into supporting a football team is more than many in our communities can manage, as all their energies go towards survival. But this is how the Celtic Story began, among the destitute and hungry. How lucky we are to be anchored to this football club, to these values.
You did all of this and more in 2017. It is humbling to see so many great people do so much, so often. You are a constant inspiration. Thank you.
Have a peaceful and loving Christmas.
NEW CQN PODCAST OUT NOW! CHRISTMAS JUMPERS FOR GOALPOSTS
Paul John Dykes and Kevin Graham are joined by Celtic authors, Stephen Sullivan and Stevie Murray for a special festive episode – Christmas Jumpers for Goal-Posts.
Stephen Sullivan is a former Celtic View reporter who wrote the much-lauded Sean Fallon biography, ‘Iron Man’. He is now the editor of FIFA.com.
Stevie Murray has now written two books on Celtic – ‘Ten Men Won The League’ and ‘Kenny of the Celtic’ – and he is a respected and authoritative voice on the club.
Treat yourself to a signed copy of Jim Craig – Right Back to 67 and you will receive a copy of That Season on Paradise signed by Bertie Auld, just order the Jim Craig book at CQNbookstore.co.uk and we’ll do the rest…
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TURKEYBHOY on 24TH DECEMBER 2017 6:28 PM
TONTINE TIM on 24TH DECEMBER 2017 5:53 PM
CELTARELLA on 24TH DECEMBER 2017 4:35 PM
Why would you get so hung up on this.It was a bitter Prebysterian,country,We all know that.Instead of looking at the past,look at how we have flourished.
*not hung up on it far from it but lets not forget what George Santayana said “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”.
“Can I have a copy of ‘Downfall’, please? Sorry, why are you making that funny face? And what’s this you’re handing me from under the counter in a brown bag? Oh, right! Got ye! No, I won’t take it out till I get home!”
Yes, Merry Christmas every hun,
Once again it’s not been fun
For you, but for everyone else
We are still pissing oorsels.”
Vale Bhoy 6.45pm
Apologies for stealing your podium today, hope you and yours have a great Christmas
CONGRATULATIONS and thank you to the Bhoys and Ghirls of the Ottawa Celtic Supporters’ Club, who have raised an incredible $3,470 for Celtic FC Foundation’s Christmas Appeal.
*Well done tae wee Ronnie of CQN and the membership
GERRYFAETHEBRIG if this was 50 years ago right now my late mother and father would be saying lets get ready for midnight mass at st pats in coatbrig such fond memories .hh.
BIG PACKY
You and the wee yins OK?
Hope you are all good!
Merry Christmas to you!
KEVJUNGLE
If your health picks up and you have the desire to go to a match at Parkhead next year i
would love to be the guy thats takes you , on me .
So many on here behind the scenes have got me through a difficult few years with their thoughts prayers and time , and the gift of their tickets (am i allowed to say that )
THEBARCAMOLE was THE guy who got me off my backside and out and about , loved every minute of his company and went to the pub (PV) for the first time since he passed away only for us to get humped by Hearts, i’m now officially the “Jinx” a wee jamesons will be had in his memory tonight 12:01
God bless Franny , Virgy and the kids :(
GOD is good , its just some of his desciples have gone off the rails .
MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone .
GERRYFAETHEBRIG
No need to apologise. You won it fair and square.
Thank you for your kind wishes.
The very best to you and your loved ones.
Keep up the good posts.
HailHail
Oh, next verse please.
A Very Happy Christmas to all on CQN, especially those I’ve had the privilege of meeting for the first time this year, and also those I’ve yet to meet.
Special thoughts with those suffering some sort of aliment at this time, and those who for whatever reason, are missing loved ones this Christmas.
Peace And Love to you all :-)
HH.
PHILBHOY.you dont get me filling up again. lol. we are all fine thanks hope you and your family have a merry xmas and a happy new year.hh.
Big Packy 6.58pm
St Patrick’s is a great parish and father Sweeney just now is a brilliant priest
I am a Summerlee Bhoy born and bred (Alexander Hospital was where I was born) my older brothers & sisters grew up in Creightin Street if you know Coatbridge you will know what Creightin Street means :-)
Delighted you, frankie & benny are ok, life is far too short to let other idiots influence yours :-)
Big Packy
Where did yeez live? Aberdeen??
MARSPAPA
I’ve only met you once and after a super day on the golf course and a bite of lunch, we hugged and said cheerio.
I thoroughly enjoyed your company!
When I got home my wife asked if I’d had a good day and who had I golfed with (she’d forgotten your name!).
I said, lovely day and Justin Rose!
Hope you are well mate and mibbe next year you could give me another lesson!
Merry Christmas!
BIG PACKY
Thanks and take care!
Just noticed that we have a lunch time kick off up at the city of discovery while all the other games are scheduled for 7:45 pm the following night even though the country has moved on from the reformation days of not celebrating the holidays and lots of people are off this week so why not 3:00 games.
The people who run our game are still stuck in cromwell times.
BEATBHOY. dont understand your post lived in glenboig near coatbridge.hh.
On the subject of our Kev J
When Kevin posts about games from years ago, magic
When Kevin posts about some of Cqn not being that well, magic
Old board / new board … who cares
Kev J …. good Celtic times. Stuff the Tories on the board
PeterLawellCSC
Would rather have him than not
Marspapa.
Great post B.
Hail Hail my friend
TONTINE TIM
We get a wee bit longer to recover before pumping the huns (again!).
What’s not to like!
We are following Santa’s tracker he is currently dropping off presents in Kenya.
Hail Hail
Big Packy @ 6:58pm
“GFTB, if this was 50 years ago right now my late mother and father would be saying lets get ready for midnight mass”
Just joking, Packy! Getting ready 5 hours beforehand, thought you must have had a bit of a journey to get there!
GERRYFAETHEBRIG. us coatbrig bhoys stick together merry xmas to you and your family.
BEATBHOY . no problem have a merry xmas.hh.
PHILBHOY on 24TH DECEMBER 2017 7:14 PM
TONTINE TIM
We get a wee bit longer to recover before pumping the huns (again!). What’s not to like!
*I noticed that day but our fans are on the road and the miles tae dundee on the feast of St Stephen morn.
Big Packy
Likewise, mate!
Big Packy
Glenboag
Will never be
Coatbrig :-)
Different village :-)
TONTINE TIM
These are the supporters who go to away games, no matter the time of day, the weather, the distance, with or without tickets………………………the ………… do I need to go on?
Everyone a hero!
:-)
GERRYFAETHEBRIG. okay i give up us lanarkshire tims stick together.
You Lanarkshire Tims formin’ a clique????
Mibbe I could come to your first HOOTENANNY!
As a guest mind!
PHILBHOY. your welcome mate dont know if mr grumpy fae the brig feels the same.lol.
MARSPAPA-hope you V and all the family have a good one mate.
Whatabout the Fountain in the ‘Brig?
BIG PACKY
I’ve met Mr Grumpy a few times!
Love him!
Yoo no who you are!
Ah dunno. No so sure about that South Lanarkshire mob ;-)
Nite bhoys and ghirls and hope you all have a fabby Christmas and New Year!
God bless and take care.
I got my electronic copy of Not The View delivered yesterday.
Browsing through I thought I recognised The Christmas Tale offering and was pleased to read it as I had forgotten it was a tale I told at Christmas in 2012 (on CQN I think).
I think it worth repeating as a reminder of why SFM exists – because we love football and we love Scottish football and we aren’t done yet.
* * * * *
A CHRISTMAS TALE
See me?
See me?
Ah jist luv fitbaw.
Its funny cos I was never that interested until about age eleven when a good pal, who was destined never to see his 21st birthday after a car crash in Rome encouraged me to try it. John was there to become a priest but got fast tracked by the Big Man who knows a good guy when he sees wan.
John encouraged me to give it a go in Suffolk St. We played “croassies in” with the metal pull down blinds that formed the gates to the interior of the Barras as goals. Plastic baws, Fridos then Wembleys, arrived about then and many a red hot poker made the game a bogey in a failed attempt at repairing a burst baw.
(I blame the whelk shells; they were aw ower the place from the Oyster Bar in the Gallowgate (where I was entrapped in the cellar two weekends in a row cleaning whelks and mussels) and the ravenous appetite of the Glasgow punter for shellfish.
I played fitbaw morning, noon and night and saw Glasgow Green pitches UPGRADED from black ash/clinker to red blaze. We thought we were Wullie Fernie playing on that stuff and there was a case for playing with 10 baws as teams were filled with tanner baw players (goalies were just last man standing) for whom the object of the game was to beat everybody else in the opposition before scoring or it wisnae a goal.
I remember wan night at the Glasgow Green waiting to play for St Alphonsus v Our Lady of Fatima when I saw Tony Green, who was a Mungo boy and went on to play for Newcastle and Scotland before injury ended his career too early, waiting, sannies under his arm, to get a game with any team who were a man short. I think the OLOF manager mugged wan of his boys as Tony appeared for them and turned a virtuoso performance against us to give OLOF a 3-2 victory.
I started work and went to London for a year to work in the old Post Office Savings Bank. In my first week Jock (a Jock) approached and asked if I played. He never mentioned the sport, he didnae hiv tae, we wur already communicating at the spiritual level only fitbaw lovers can reach (the kind of thing that electrifies CP on CL nights.)
I get directions fur a game oan the Saturday at Acton Town and turn up, new Puma boots, paid by my transfer grant, under my arm (nae sannies fur me) On entering the park ahm puzzled, there wiz GRASS everywhere, nae clinker or red blaze in sight. “Must be roon the back of the dressing rooms “ I remember thinking.
Anyhoo I gets changed runs roon the back to see — MAIR grass as far as the eye can see. So I troop back tae the dressing rooms to get directions to the ash pitches. When I explain what ah wiz used to playin oan they aw jist looked at me like my village wiz searching fur their idiot.
Well I get sorted out and line up. The baw, I remember, wiz a size 5 orange wan, but no wan o they bricks wi laces. The first pass to me wiz high and ah chests the ball doon and whirls roon afore I get studded from the back as wiz the custom oan the narrow pitches of Glasgow Green. To ma amazement the nearest opponent to me is about 4 yards away. As I look into his eyes I smile and turn to Jock at the sidelines and shout.
“Yer gonnae need anither baw” as I meander off in pursuit of the only goal that counted for a tanner baw man. I think I managed 7 before netting and I’ll take that. It wiz oan unfamiliar grass after all.
Postscript “Aye very guid Auldheid” yer thinking (if you have stayed with me so far.)
“Nice reminiscing and it is Christmas Eve, so thanks fur the memories. “
But there’s mer tae this tale fur
See me?
See me?
I jist luv fitbaw.
Its ma game, its OOR game and when I see the mess those responsible for looking after its welfare have made of it ah want to do something.
I hope ahm not alone.
Dec 2012