You did this

349

Your Celtic FC Foundation, Christmas Appeal, raised an incredible £310k this year, a record figure that allowed the spirit of Celtic to touch more lives than ever before.

The largest slice of the funds, £129k, was shared between 645 families with children in Scotland and Ireland.

Five different homeless charities received £54.5k.

Eight children’s charities received £43k.

£20k went to women’s aid charities.

£15k went to three refugee charities.

£10k went to 100 vulnerable elderly people living near Celtic Park, in what remains an impoverished part of the city.

A Christmas meal, gifts and outings for families were provided to those in the Glasgow East Women’s Aid refuge.

The Scottish refugee Council, which supports over 650 families, said, “The support of Celtic FC Foundation has helped hundreds of vulnerable families at a time of real need.

“In a single day, our advisors will support people who have become homeless, help parents who have no winter clothes for their children, and assist vulnerable families who are struggling through a complex legal system. The need for our services is greater than ever, and this winter we will struggle to support so many families without help.”

Glasgow City Mission provide a hot meal to an average of 130 men and women each night, and offer a safe space in their day.  The ‘Mission said, “This wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of organisations such as Celtic FC Foundation. We would like to express our sincere thanks to all of your supporters who have contributed to the Christmas Appeal.”

Loaves and Fishes provide hot meals at a café in Glasgow and foodbank services in Glasgow and East Kilbride.  “Through the provision of the meals that we offer at the Oasis Cafe, we try to make people feel welcome and respected. They’re given a two-course meal and an opportunity to sit at a table with each other and enjoy their dinner in a way that most of us take for granted.

“This is a truly vital lifeline to those who are out there with little or no access to food.”

Jim White, Secretary of The Wayside Club, which provides daily support advice and comfort to Glasgow’s homeless, said: “We owe a great deal of gratitude over the years to Celtic FC Foundation and especially their Christmas Appeal, which has helped so many individuals that come to our door each night, looking for clean clothes and a hot meal.”

The Invisibles provide sleeping bags, clothing and footwear to those living rough.  They encounter people wet, freezing and in need of a change of clothes.  Dermot Hill said, “The backing we receive through the Foundation’s Christmas Appeal plays a vital role in ensuring that we stay well stocked throughout this very difficult period.”

The Glasgow Night Shelter supports asylum seekers who cannot access statutory homelessness services due to their immigration status.  Foundation support allowed them to extend their opening hours over the festive period.  The Refugee Survival Trust were helped to provide bus passes, which allows people to build friendships.

The Elpis Centre, who provide for homeless young women and Spirit Aid similarly received  support.  For some kids, as well as toys, winter coats, wellies, shoes and school uniforms were provided.

This list goes on, literally for pages.  If you stopped to put money in a bucket, bid at an auction, raised sponsorship at a sleep out, bought a candle for Light Up the Clover, or participated in this work in any way, you will never know the full impact you have made.

It is hard to get your head around big numbers, but £310k is a phenomenal figure.  It compares to anything achieved by any football club in the world.  Through this work, Celtic fans are changing the world in a structured way.  The Foundation are careful with your money, its impact is measured and subsequent support is earned.

We live in a world that is very different from 1887, when Brother Walfrid and his parishioners decided that “a football club will be formed for the maintenance of dinner tables for the children and unemployed.”  Then, the overwhelming majority of our community lived in abject poverty.  Now, most of us will fill our bellies tomorrow and sleep in a warm home.  But if this football club means anything to you, you will feel solidarity with those who fled to this country to seek a better life, those struggling to bring up kids and keep work and other plates spinning, those who are ill, without work, or those, who for a variety of circumstances, are without home, family and hope.

There but for the grace of God…  It can take very little to go wrong with our plans for our world to crash down.

The work of the Foundation is our proudest boast.  In 2019, more of us got this message and wanted to get involved.  We are part of a story that is 132 years old, that stretches back to a generation, some of whom fled famine and persecution but discovered the first step on the ladder involved squalor, hunger and cold.  Others have no link whatsoever to that story, but found their way to Celtic through common values.

And guess what?  We get to do it all again in 2020; our Celtic work never ends.  Thanks to everyone who ‘gets it’, you’re just brilliant.

Take care and have a great Christmas!

Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

349 Comments

  1. Very strange …. The red card tackle at Easter Road was very similar to that only days later….

     

    Very odd that only one is receiving the attention of the media.

     

    I wonder why that might be…..

  2. We are back to the Bigoted Broadcasting corporation

     

    Yes Cormack made a statement

     

    The writings these past few days by the Bigoted Broadcaster is trying to drive the

     

    Anyone But Celtic Agenda though

     

    Who writes these items for them 🤔

     

     

    Time to respond and defend our club I think

     

    Let’s move into 2020 as one

  3. Right pub time. Watch the Edinburgh fare first. Play nice bhoys.

     

     

    3 points first, but my prediction is 7-1 to the Leather belts.

     

     

    COYBIG

     

     

    D. :)

  4. glendalystonsils on

    NORRIE M

     

     

    Can’t blame a new chairman for trying to ingratiate himself with the fans , but who set up the interview and posed the question then publicised the answers?

     

     

    It’s not just the BBC of course as a glance at ‘NewsNow Celtic’ will show. At least half the headlines have an anti Celtic slant. I have just removed the Scotsman from my list of Newsnow publications for their headline…….

     

     

    ‘Rangers* want to sign World cup winner: Celtic ace targeted by French giants’

     

     

    Level 5 pish.

  5. Good afternoon fellow Tims!

     

     

    Had a great Christmas Day and I hope you all did.

     

     

    I am now really looking forward to a nice easy day.

     

     

    Feet up, watch a movie or two with the family, get lots of goal updates on here, a small libation or two.

     

     

    Then an early night!

     

     

    Sounds like bliss!

     

     

    Hope you all have a great day!

     

     

    Oh……and ………………….C’MON THE CELTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  6. Duncan MacKay

     

     

    A very good player in a succession of not very good Celtic teams.A mighty fine attacking fullback and a really good passer of the ball.

     

     

    RIP

  7. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    Just read an alleged quote by the new guy at Aberdeen re Ajer.

     

     

    Thanks CQN for running the story.

     

     

    It meant I didn’t have to access the odious BBC Scotland online.

     

     

    I hope the board respond.

     

     

    Their approach of ignoring the circus tends to win the day but they previously, very forcefully, called out a new CEO – Budge – after she took a cheap swipe at our supporters 5 minutes after she was in the door.

     

     

    Similar called for here methinks.

     

     

    Hail hail

  8. So sorry to hear of Dunky McKay’s passing. His was my first ever autograph. He then passed my book to big Frank Haffey who became the second signature…They were both great Celts…RIP Dunky.

  9. RIP Dunky McKay – my dad’s favourite player. Remember on the way home from Celtic Park with him, with my copy of the flimsy white Programme and a big souvenir picture from the Evening Citizen, practising saying the team : Haffey, McKay & Kennedy, Crerand McNeil & Clark; Gallagher, Fernie, Hughes, Chalmers & Byrne – Paddy Crerand was my favourite.

     

     

    I love Boxing Day, the big build-up and crescendo over – a sublime piece has descended this morning, washed down with a bacon-roll and a big mug of sweet tea.

     

     

    Business done early today I hope – few of single malts and TV tonight….bliss.

  10. weebobbycollins on

    No need for our board to get involved with that clown McCormack. Milne probably suggested it might be a good idea to get the sheepies onside…bufoons!

  11. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    NorrieM – respect re your BBC comments (posted before mine).

     

     

    Glendaly – with you on NewsNow.

     

     

    Gave up on it a while back when they accredited ‘R@ngers News’ as a source for Celtic stories.

     

     

    Once a useful directional tool, nothing more than a click bait facilitator now (and getting worse as online consumers inevitably become more voracious).

     

     

    As for the Hootsman?

     

     

    Actually a sad story of how a well run (BTW, not the same as principled) Scottish Business – Johnston Press – got greedy after 150 years of solid, unspectacular operation and fell for the same expansionist BS that killed RBS.

     

     

    Worthless shares, 1 to 1 debt to turnover ratio, pre-packaged admin, picked up and picked off in 2018.

     

     

    Remind you of anyone?

     

     

    This publication’s death is inevitable.

     

     

    Hail hail

  12. weebobbycollins on

    Nightmare for Budge…wrong choice again.

     

    Btw…I would take Hickey back. He’s a good ‘un…

  13. The Hibs fans singing

     

     

    “Oh the wee huns are shite”

     

     

    Brilliant

     

     

    Weebobbycollins

     

     

    Thought Hickey has been poor the few times I have saw him this season, although against us the other midweek I think he was told to not to venture firearms in case wee Frimpong attacked … what I have saw Hickey would be Neil’s 4th choice left back behind Bolingoli, Taylor & Hayes

  14. Honestly watching this game,and with all the best Christmas will in the world I don’t think even one of the players on show could make the step up

  15. glendalystonsils on

    Great to see the Hertz getting humped especially after that poor excuse for a footballer had a well publicised pop at Broony.

     

     

    Poor losership is becoming an epidemic.

  16. weebobbycollins on

    GFTB…come on! It’s bad enough with the flares without bringing firearms to the game… :-)

     

    Btw…Hickey is a good YOUNG player in a very shitey team…just imagine what Levein’s coaching has done for him…backwards.

  17. Weebobbycollins 1.23pm

     

     

    I like Hickey he was their best player against us in Scottish Cup final, would not be against us signing him as we get a 30% discount, just think it would be a big jump for him to get in our starting 11 … Also agree with the flares & firearms :-)

  18. Hello again all you young rebels.

     

     

    Just back from a wonderfull boxing day on the beach, the York

     

    ham reheated on the barbie with cane sugar and all spice is so

     

    good, backed up of course with a fine malt, this year our new

     

    favourite is.. Spey River.. never heard of it before but awesome.

     

    Thank you all for your good wishes for PADDYMAC who has his

     

    op today, as you know he’s not one to post much but i know

     

    as a lurker he takes a lot of what is said on here to heart.

     

    RE- Dunky Mckay

     

    A fine player who would have graced the modern game, as with

     

    many players past, Scotland took too long to get rid of the ” get

     

    the man and the ball ” attitude.

     

    Finally.. where else in the world can you enter a beach with a

     

    family of hoops and meet another family of hoops and think

     

    ” i’m blessed ”

     

    Yes, the Mornington peninsula, the landing place of many of the

     

    Botany bhoys.

     

    O.K so i’m off on a tangent now, the Spey river is kicking in, and

     

    as usual our game to go 8 ahead is coming up, so

     

    COYBIG.

     

    H.H Mick

  19. MELBOURNE MICK

     

     

    Very best wishes to PADDYMCOZ today. Wee prayer said for his full recovery.

     

     

    HH

  20. Just read about the passing of my boyhood favourite.

     

    Always said he was ahead of his time and was made for a Lisbon team. RIP Duncan.

  21. Today’s official starting line up V St Mirren ……

     

    Forster; Frimpong, Jullien, Ajer, Bolingoli; Brown, McGregor; Forrest, Ntcham, Christie, Edouard

     

    Subs: Gordon, Taylor, Bitton, Rogic, Bauer, Johnston, Griffiths

  22. weebobbycollins agree with you 100% re Hickey, think he would be a fine addition to our squad,though we are well covered in that area. I suspect he has a great future in the game, why not with us. H H Hebcelt and a very Happy Merry Christmas to all Celtic Bhoys and Ghirls

  23. Glendaly/back to basics

     

     

    Gave up long time ago on NewsNow Celtic only klikbait like HITC.

     

     

    “Celtic News Now ‘is a different kettle of fish at least so far with stories about the Bhoys.

     

    Search for “Celtic News Now” in Google will take you to links. First two are normally “Need now Celtic” but scroll past to “Celtic News Now’ should do the business

     

     

    Hope you had a great Christmas and all the best for 2020

     

     

    HH

  24. FAIRHILL BHOY

     

     

    My thought too!

     

     

    Lenny like’s that midfireld and he’s giving it game time.

     

     

    Hope you are good!

  25. i'vehadtochangemymind on

    There tonnes of Kano kids in the family stand against the Dons as well as a fully suited Grinch!! Brilliant- well done the Kano F! They were a bit distanced from the sheep, thank God,as the sheep fans were shocking.