Start Up Santa Christmas Appeal 2024
7th November - 24th December
Start Up Santa is sleighing it this Christmas! From the North Pole to your front door, he's spreading the magic like a boss! Help him in his mission to make sure no one in need goes without this year. Times are tough, but your kindness can help Start Up Stirling to make a big difference.
"I am crying as I text this message, after speaking to you at the food bank and worrying about the extra costs coming up to Christmas. The hamper and dinners that you gave me were perfect and getting to pick some nice toys for the kids was great as I was looking in charity shops for second hand toys to give them."
How you can help Start Up Santa to ‘sleigh’ Christmas this year:
Reverse Advent Calendar
Our perennial favourite! Each of the items on the 24 days on our Reverse Advent Calendar helps us to collect the essential food for our Crisis Food Support parcels throughout the cold Winter months, when we receive the contents of the calendar in the New Year.
Start Up Santa’s Shopping List
One way to guarantee that you will be on Start Up Santa’s Nice List is to host a Donation Station during our Christmas Appeal. We will be happy to supply one, along with some of Santa’s Shopping List. You can leave a donation at any of our supermarket donation stations across the area, or we would be happy to see you at our Warehouse, should you have any bulk donations. Please give us a call on 01786 561027 in advance, so that we can welcome you when you arrive.
Online Big 2024 Christmas Draw
Will you be a lucky recipient of one of the great prizes in the online Big 2024 Christmas Draw, to celebrate Start Up Stirling’s 30th anniversary? From jewellery, afternoon teas to M&S vouchers, there are lots of prizes to be won! Tickets are £2 each, 3 for £5, or 8 for £10. All the prizes will be drawn on 11th December, to give us time to distribute them before Christmas. https://crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-big-2024-christmas-draw
Gift Vouchers
Gift vouchers for stores like Sainsbury’s, Argos, Primark, Tesco and Amazon make a lovely present for someone, so they can choose their own gift. You can encourage people to either donate vouchers in person, purchase and send them to us, or make a donation via our website.
Giving Trees
This year, we are delighted that the following venues will be hosting a Giving Tree to support Start Up Stirling.
Thistle Centre - 16th November - 24th December
Thistles, Stirling is once again supporting Start Up Stirling this festive season with their ‘Giving Tree’ campaign. Shoppers are encouraged to visit one of four Giving Trees in the centre, where they can find tags detailing a gift recommendation, providing an opportunity for thoughtful shoppers to purchase an essential home item to those in need ahead of Christmas and into the New Year. Gift donations can be dropped into the donation box located beside the trees.
Scion House, Innovation Park, Stirling University, 18th November - 6th December.
There will be a Giving Tree in the reception area of Scion House where anyone can choose a gift tag and purchase the gift that is on it. The gifts can then be returned to the reception desk in Scion House, Monday - Friday, 9am until 4pm. Thanks to the staff at Kip McGrath and the Innovation Park for hosting this fundraising event.
Festive Fundraising Events
Thursday 28th and Friday 29th November, 10am - 4pm. The elves at Start Up Stirling will be at the annual Food Drive at Tesco Superstore, Wallace Street, Stirling, FK8 1NP. Come along and say “Hello-ho-ho” while you are doing your shopping!
Saturday 30th November, 10.30am - 2pm. The Rotary in Callander will be holding their Christmas Coffee, Lunch and Crafts Event in Callander Kirk Hall, where Start Up Stirling is hosting a stall. Entry is £3, which includes tea or coffee and shortbread or mince pie.
Thursday 12th December - Start Up Stirling will be “Sleighing it at Scion House” at the Innovation Park, based at Stirling University, where Santa’s Little Helpers will welcome donations from 11am until 2pm, from anyone in the area who would like to support them.
Friday 13th December - 7pm - late. Time to dust off your dancing shoes! Bridge of Allan Bowling Club are hosting a Scottish Folk Music Night in aid of Start Up Stirling, with music provided by the amazing Jacobites Ceilidh Band. There will be a buffet, raffle, games and drinks on the night. Tickets are £10, please email enquiries@bridgeofallanbowls.co.uk for any enquiries and to purchase tickets.
Funding support
Our fundraising target for 2025 is £420,000. This funds our services, as well as covering our overheads. Please consider supporting Start Up Stirling with a financial gift this Christmas. If you are eligible for Gift Aid, we can claim an additional 25% from the Government, at no extra cost to you.
Follow, like and share our posts on Facebook and LinkedIn
If you can follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn and share our posts, this will spread the word near and far about the Start Up Santa Christmas Appeal and how to get involved.
Look out for the hashtags that we will be using to promote the campaign - #StartUpSanta #SUSXmas, #localsupportlocal #SleighingXmas #SUS30 #sleighingit
Any Questions?
We are here to help, so if you have any questions about our Appeal, or any fundraising that you would like us to know about, we would be happy to hear from you.
Our contact details are - Julie Christie, 07961 580949 and Amanda Monaghan, 07496 398006, or e-mail:fundraising@startupstirling.org.uk.
Alternatively, you can call the office, Tuesday-Thursday, 9am until 3pm and Friday 9am until 1pm, on 01786 561027.
We hope to see you all soon, but in the meantime, thank you for your continued support, and we hope that you all have a great Christmas.
