After last week’s Celtic Foundation bucket collection at Celtic Park, my 12-year-old, who was collecting, was amazed that someone put a £20 note in his bucket. He wanted to know why people do things like that.
There are lots of possible reasons. It’s the right thing to do, there are many in our community who are need, and who we would happily help if they were standing beside us. A lot has to do with upbringing, not everyone believes fraternal help services the common good, but for some, it’s part of their core values. More precisely, it’s part of the values they acquired when they took to do with their football club.
In the early decades of Celtic Football Club, people literally ‘clubbed’ together to build the first, and then second, Celtic Park, mostly without pay. An informal collection of labourers dug foundations and shovelled earth to create bankings. Many got involved years after Walfrid left for pastures news, but the way in which the community claimed ownership of the club, without actually owning a share, of course, gave you and me an enormously privileged heritage.
We have a back narrative which most 21st century organisations could never dream of attaining.
I know that £20 is a lot of money to put into a bucket, but this year I’ve seen many people do this, and so much more, in the name of Celtic.
A year ago the CQN community told Mary’s Meals that we would build a school kitchen for them in Malawi. We booked the Kerrydale Suite for CQ10 and hoped we could sell more than 30 tickets. The night was sold-out and you raised over £23,000. Before the night was finished the two guys from Mary’s Meals knew they had enough money to build three school kitchens!
The money was soon put to action, all three kitchens were completed by May. Each day over 2000 primary-age children eat what is often their only meal of the day in a facility you paid for, prepared with utensils you bought.
The UN reckon Malawi is the 17th poorest country on the planet, but it is fertile for development work. 93% of the money raised by Mary’s Meals reaches the target communities. The kids being fed in CQN kitchens for the last 7 months are heavier and healthier than before. School attendance has increased by over 30%, so kids who previously had to labour for food are now getting an education instead.
They will have better life-choices as adults and more of them will be alive long enough to become adults.
The CQNers who started our charity activities nearly a decade ago are the golfers, they did so again in July, then there was the runners, the badge collectors and the many who were just touched by one story or another and stepped forward.
One of the reasons many of you should be proud of yourself is the Kano Foundation. Kano – Martin Kane – was one of the original CQNers, who got up in the middle of the night in Perth W. Australia to watch his team, and argue with his pals on here. When he suffered an enormously debilitating illness a community grew up around him, which became the Kano Foundation, and has since brought thousands of kids to see Celtic.
This week we learned Kano is seriously ill in hospital, so the seasonal cheer is tempered.
Whatever your memories of 2014 are, they will also be tempered by the challenges Wee Oscar and his family went through. I know there are people who made an enormous difference to his life who first read about him here. The stories of the work they put in will never be told, because that’s the way they want it, but they made a profound impact on the world.
2015 has a hard act to follow, but we’ve told Mary’s Meals we’ll build them another school kitchen, and we’ve just told Celtic to book the Kerrydale Suite for Friday 13th March for CQ11. It’s St Patrick’s weekend, it’s League Cup Final weekend and it’s the week of the 50th anniversary of Jock Stein taking over; it has the making of a memorable night…..
Why do people put £20 into a bucket, why do thousands give anonymously throughout the year, why do hundreds go above and beyond the call of duty? If you think Celtic is a football club, you’ve not been paying attention. It is the most powerful social movement most of us will ever become involved with.
It’s an absolute pleasure to be part of the family and humbling to see it in action.
Have a great Christmas, you deserve it.
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Off oot now. Hope the q’s arnt to long at the bar!!! H H
Okay I’ll settle for 29.8 % then.
Awe naw there’s two of them…
Interesting to see that there is nothing on BBC Sport site yet about the SFA News Release. Even they are struggling to spin this one.
Can’t they just cut straight to the cracked crest!
Merry Christmas to all. Have a great day tomorrow.
Thoughts & Prayers with Martin and his family as well as any others in need of them.
MWD said AYE HO HO HO
Well done to every Celtic Supporter in this Dear Green Place.
HH (and Ho Ho Ho.)
Wouldn’t surprise me one bit if big Pete had something to do with that double- decker bus found on the moon.
Well done to the SFA …about time
Lovely piece Paul.
Take a bow Paul for providing the platform of CQN. The amount raised by folks on here is simply stunning. And it is in fact life changing to people near and far.
I suspect CQN takes a lot of your precious time and probably a fair amount of money to keep it going.
Many thanks also to the Bampots, Philosophers, Intellectuals, Scribes, Music Gurus, Football coaches (well to be honest we sometimes think we are), Jokers, Quiz masters and many many more.
I lurk almost everyday, and obtain knowledgeable and accurate information (not just about Football matters) from this site and others on the Internet.
If it was not for this site, I would be much poorer in knowledge of a variety of subjects. So many thanks to Paul and all the contributors to this fantastic site. (Apart from the trolls, we know who and what you are).
HH Dan
Excellent article Paul 67, well done to all involved, a very Merry Christmas to you and your and to every CQN’er past and present..
Hail Hail
Ho ho ho SFA finally grow a set merry Christmas sevco
Haven’t they been punished enough?
I reckon Rangers will be playing in the top flight next season
They will either buy a SPL club – take your pick and change their name or ‘merge’ keeping their history
Or…
They will liquidate 1 or 2 SPL clubs to ensure automatic promotion – they brought Airdrie down for what was it 30000
Merry Christmas Eve Gentlemen, Uplifting article Paul a Merry Christmas tomorrow sir when it comes. Hope everyone has a great Christmas full of laughter and joy. Be good to each other on here, Christmas spirit is not the same thing as fighting spirit.
Hail Hail!!!!!!!!!!
KLV
kevinlasvegas. Merry Christmas to you and your family and friends. H.H.
Just got a big project over the line at work and I am packing up for the holidays.
Well done Paul, CQN and others on some magic charity work this year.
Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year to all CQNers and lurkers.
LB Aff Oot!
Sevco considering their options eh… watch out st midden
charliemac
THere’s a guy in a big red suit and a white beard walking down your street, he answers to the name of Santa:)))
LiviBhoy. Happy Christmas to you and your family and friends. H.H.
Radamel Falcao is still struggling with the after effects of the knee injury which put him out of the World Cup – and his future at Manchester United could be in doubt because of that.
The Colombian joined the Red Devils on loan on transfer deadline day. It was reported at the time that they paid a £6 million loan fee to Monaco in order to secure his services, plus wages up to an eye-watering £285,000-per-week.
Don’t know if £20 gets you far these days
A couple of rounds in the pub?
I think we are away from the days of change. Slush.
Sterling is so weak we end up with mounds of pound coins and the like.
The value just isn’t there anymore.
Even fivers are so scruffy looking, tenners rare and the paper note of choice (the note the government wants you to use is the £20)
If you ever pull out a £50 to pay, like I did in Sainsburys the other day, they bite it , scan it , call the supervisor and draw a thick colourless marker thru it, before it gets to the till.
£50?
Nuts, that’s your taxi fare in and out of the toon on a Saturday bevvy session.
So, no a £20 in a charity dish is no big deal really.
Brilliant and inspirational lead article Paul, CQN is something special.
Hope everyone has a happy and healthy Christmas.
tonydonnelly £285,000 per week is an obscene amount of money to pay anyone let alone a footballer. The World is an ill divided place A merry Christmas to you and your family and friends. H.H.
Yip Murray brought down Airdrie for £35,000. He was interviewed about itr in tunnel at hampden and said it was a shame to lose a ‘club’.. But it was business! They were around £80M in debt to bank at that time.
Colour Blind Bhoy. A merry Christmas to you and your family and friends.H.H.
Maybe Regan is for the off and its a GIRFUY for all the grief?
embramike
13:00 on 24 December, 2014
Grant Russell @STVGrant 25s25 seconds ago
Scottish FA have refused Mike Ashley permission to increase shareholding in Rangers to maximum 29.9%.
Ho Ho Ho
3rd Rankers takes a step closer creation
I would just like to wish all on here a Happy and Peaceful Christmas.
Please spare a thought and a prayer for a family in Annagry who are grieving sorely today.
thomthethim. Merry Christmas to you and your family and friends and a prayer said for the family in Annagry.H.H.
tictaewin
So £20 is nothing? You really ought to stay in a bit more, £20 can be lifechanging.
Since I first posed on this site a few years ago I have had the great fortune of meeting some of the most generous and caring individuals among our support.
I have been involved in collections for the Dam bhoys and the Kano foundation, where I met fans that like me would ordinarlily not choose to stand rattling buckets at people asking for donations. One or two of these fans have remained friends and I have been inspired by their generousity and their selflessness.
I have committed to giving some of my time to those that find themselves in need over the Chrismas period, it’s something I have been thinking about for a while but due to work etc I never made the extra effort to actually do anything. Listening to the stories of some of the bucketeers thogh made me determned to do something and I will be helping out at a shelter over the holiday period. Hopefully I’ll commit to doing something on a regular basis in the weeks and months ahead.
Probably wont be on much over the comming days as I’m off to my daughters, taking the Grankids to the Carnival tonight. Hope you all have a great time.
HH
joe filippis haircut
Thank you and the very same message to you. Am looking forward to 2 great family days and then on Saturday, back to Celtic Park to see the champions.
Hail Hail
Tictaewin
Sure it’s not intentional, but that post reads a bit mean-spirited, mate.
It surely depends on the contributor’s circumstances, whether 20 quid is a ‘ big deal’ or not.
The Widow’s Two Mites?
Hail Hail.
Re the SFA statement, I think this is only round one……was only an informal chat supposedly.
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPY Birthday tae Cowiebhoys Mam :)))
He will just have to wait till his comes round again
WrongAGAINcsc :))))
JFH Thank you sir
If Mike Ashley becomes the biggest creditor at Ibrox does he really need to have the shares as he would virtually control The Rangers anyway ? H.H.
Odd time for the SFA to suddenly decide to abide by their own rules.
Is this a sign that Rangers Mk2 are finally being cast adrift? Time for the new, improved, Third Rangers, run by and for, Real Rangers Men, to leave dry dock?
As I see it, Ashley now has a number of options:
* Fight this in court. Messy, expensive, and probably a long-drawn out affair.
* Ignore it, and plough ahead by purchasing shares via proxies or shell companies.
* Walk. In which case, expect wages to go unpaid next month (or even this month?)
Nollaig shonasach agus athbhliain shuaimhneach.HH.