Christmas may still be a while away, but the season of giving is already here.
Many people generously donate money, provisions and time to good causes during December to help their local communities.
But Start Up Stirling – which runs foodbanks and supports around 400 people across the Stirling Council area every week – is already collecting food to fill Christmas hampers, and looking ahead to the often difficult month of January.
With the sad news earlier this week that Transition Stirling’s Community Food Project will close on December 7, it’s likely more locals may soon need to turn to Start Up Stirling for help.
If you’d like to contribute towards the foodbank’s efforts this festive season, here’s everything you need to know.
Most-needed food items
- Tinned pasta
- Coffee
- Cereal bars
- Tinned meat
- Tinned soup
- Cup-a-Soup
Where to donate food
There are foodbank donation drop-off points inside various shops across Stirling and further afield.
In the city centre, Lidl, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Poundland, Nationwide and the Thistles Centre all take collections.
Tesco branches in both Stirling and Dunblane also have donation points, and the same goes for the Co-ops in Stirling, Callander, Aberfoyle, Bridge of Allan, Cambusbarron and Doune.
Dunblane’s M&S takes collections, too, as does the village shop in Kippen.
If you’re able to get there, donations can be dropped off at Start Up Stirling’s unit on Springkerse Industrial Estate at 16B Whitehouse Road, Stirling, FK7 7SP.
The warehouse is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 9am until 3pm, and on Fridays, from 9am until 1pm.
When to donate food
If you want your donations to make someone’s Christmas and New Year a little brighter – and particularly if the items you’re donating are seasonal, like mince pies – the sooner you can get them to the foodbank, the better.
Make sure to drop off any specifically festive food by Friday, December 6.
Everyday shopping-list items can continue to be donated after that date, and right through into January.
Can I donate money?
Yes, you can donate your chosen amount directly to Start Up Stirling via its website, either as a one-off payment or on a regular, monthly basis.
Giving £5 would buy someone Christmas dinner, £10 is enough to purchase a complete shopping list, and £25 would cover formula milk and nappies for a baby.
Your money will be used to help those in need living in the Stirling Council area.
Can I donate Christmas gifts?
Yes, by visiting one of several ‘Giving Trees’ around Stirling from mid-November, either in the Thistles shopping centre, or at Scion House at Stirling University Innovation Park.
Simply take a tag from the tree and use the information on it to help you buy a present for someone who will cherish it.
Can I donate gift cards?
Yes, gift vouchers for retailers like Sainsbury’s, Argos, Primark, Tesco or Amazon are welcomed as donations.
These tend to be given as a Christmas gift to young people who would not otherwise receive a present.
You can donate vouchers in person, or buy them and send them to Start Up Stirling.
What about January?
The beginning of the year can be an especially tough time for foodbank users, as donations dwindle.
To combat this, Start Up Stirling has created a ‘reverse Advent calendar‘, encouraging the public to collect one basic food or toiletry item per day between December 1 and 24, to be dropped off at the Springkerse Industrial Estate unit throughout January.
Items on the calendar include UHT milk, tinned food, noodles, jam and toilet roll.
- You can enter Start Up Stirling’s 2024 Christmas draw until December 11 for a chance to win one of 30 prizes, from hotel stays to restaurant vouchers and much more
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