Dundonians have dug deep to provide Christmas gifts for deprived children. Schools and family team leader Cheryl Peebles joined a Help For Kids delivery team to see some of the thousands of donations going out.
“If it wasn’t for this, there wouldn’t be any Christmas for the kids.”
These were the words of one Dundee man as we dropped off a bounty of presents at his flat in the city.
His sister’s children – aged 11, 10 and six – will each have a huge bag of gifts on Christmas morning, but only thanks to the Evening Telegraph Help For Kids toy appeal.
He told our delivery team: “It’s great that there is this help.”
In a nearby street, a mum who has recently moved to Dundee was equally relieved her children – like their friends – would have parcels to open on Sunday morning.
She has just started a new job – but there still isn’t money for the Christmas treats most of us take for granted.
As she took her bulging bags of gifts, she said: “This means so much to me. It’s amazing.”
Her children are among around 1,500 in Dundee referred to Help For Kids so they can benefit from its appeal.
And because of the generosity of those who have given gifts or cash, children don’t receive just one or two presents but a whole sack, worth around £100 each.
The charity tries to ensure each one contains a few toys, a book, puzzle, selection box and pyjamas or a cosy hoodie.
I joined Kieran Laidlaw and Kevin Shaw, both 28, as they delivered gifts around the city just days before Christmas.
They are wind turbine technicians but their employer Coast Renewable Services has volunteered manpower and vehicles over the past few days for Help For Kids deliveries.
Kieran’s seen quite a few tears shed – but also faces of glee when kids have caught them dropping off bags of goodies at their homes.
“They think you are actual Santa!” he said.
“It’s really nice to see them all excited. They don’t have much.
“Doing this makes you see how blessed you really are compared to what we are seeing.”
As well as individual homes, we stopped off at Fairfield Community Sports Hub, where volunteers were preparing Christmas food hampers while dealing with a long queue for their regular food bank.
Help For Kids gifts will go out with the hampers to around 150 families later this week.
Trustee Graham Tait said that making the deliveries can be emotional for volunteers.
He said: “Just seeing everything going out, all the packages – the people that get them are people who really need them.”
One of those volunteers is Donna Mitchell.
Despite seeing the desperate circumstances of some families, she loves being able to help folk at this time of year.
She said: “It means an awful lot to people, they are just so grateful.”
Back at the Help For Kids ‘grotto’ coordinating it all is charity manager Stacey Wallace.
Managing the toy appeal has been a mammoth task over the last few weeks, from organising dozens of gift drop-off points and collecting donations to taking referrals, sorting gifts and dispatching delivery squads like Kieran and Kevin.
We are giving them a Christmas they wouldn’t have otherwise.”
Help For Kids charity manager Stacey Wallace
But the reaction of the families they help makes it all worthwhile.
Last week a dad and mum were in tears when Stacey’s team arrived with gifts for their eight children.
Stacey said: “Some people are choosing whether to put food on the table or heat the house, so presents aren’t a priority.
“We are giving them a Christmas they wouldn’t have otherwise.”
Support for the appeal from individuals, businesses and organisations around the city, has overwhelmed those involved in the annual campaign, especially when everyone is feeling the financial pinch.
Stacey said: “The support as always for Help For Kids has been amazing, people really do get behind us.”
Conversation