FOOD banks in Scotland are in crisis, and local donation centres urgently need supplies.
The Trussell Trust will run its National Christmas Collection with Tesco from November 29 until December 1, when shoppers can donate Christmas items such as crackers and Christmas puddings alongside regular food bank items.
READ MORE: How to avoid falling into debt this Christmas
Macmillan Cancer Support donations made online at www.macmillan.org.uk can help with a range of support services.
Just £38 could pay for 100 copies of The Cancer Guide, £28 could fund a specialist speech and language therapist for an hour, £114 could pay for a Macmillan Social Care Worker or Family Support Worker for a day, helping patients, family members, and carers manage the social and practical problems of living with cancer.
READ MORE: Consumers beware: It's only 78 shopping day until Christmas
The aid charity Oxfam Scotland offers gifts from its Christmas Unwrapped range: £10 buys safe water for a family of four, £20 provides a lifesaving loo, and £25 gets you “a super goat”.
Sense Scotland works with children, young people and adults who have communication support needs. Their online Christmas shop sells Christmas cards for £3.50 a pack.
Alternatively, you can buy inspirational gifts that make a big difference – £10 for example pays for a ‘Messy Play’ session which allows a child to be creative. To find out more visit http://shop.sensescotland.org.uk/category.
Scottish Women’s Aid are also appealing for donations. The money raised goes straight back into their work to improve the lives of women, children and young people with experience of domestic abuse in Scotland.
You can text YEAR40 followed by the amount you want to donate (for example YEAR40 10) to 70070 to donate £10.
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