A LOCAL children’s charity is hosting a festive event at Aberdeen’s Union Square on Saturday 3rd December as it asks shoppers to add one or two more local children to their Christmas gift list.
Carol singers and entertainers, as well as AberNecessities’ own Bertie Bear, will bring Christmas cheer to the shopping centre to encourage shoppers to choose a bauble from the Union Square Giving Tree and donate a gift to a local child. AberNecessities, which was launched in 2019, provides basic essentials to families in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, and has supported over 8000 children since its inception.
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North-east Christmas shoppers can pick a bauble, which will highlight longed-for gifts for local children aged between 0-18 years. The contributions can be purchased and given to Union Square staff members who will pass the presents to AberNecessities for direct delivery.
To bring extra festive spirit to the community, AberNecessities has invited several local choruses and choirs including Rock Choir, Aberdeen Chorus, Banchory Singers, Silver City Singers and Granite City Chorus to sing Christmas carols and songs at Union Square on Saturday 3rd December. Aberdeen Student Show in collaboration with children from Aberdeen Academy of Performing Arts will be closing out the day with a medley on classic Christmas carols at 6pm to entertain shoppers getting ready for Christmas.
AberNecessities’ biggest ever Christmas appeal will help the large numbers of local families experiencing extreme financial hardship. The charity is hoping to deliver over 2,500 Christmas gifts to children who would not otherwise enjoy a visit from Father Christmas. Since its inception in 2019, AberNecessities has supported over 8,000 local children, giving much-needed support to families in Aberdeen city and shire.
AberNecessities founder Danielle Flecher-Herd commented: “This Christmas, one in five children across Aberdeen city and shire won’t expect to see any gifts under the tree on Christmas morning. Due to the extreme cost of living crisis, families across the North-East are really struggling and quite frankly, dreading Christmas.
“Every child dreams of Christmas, but for too many children in our community, there is no hope of a traditional, happy Christmas with gifts under a sparkling tree. At AberNecessities, we want every child to feel the wonder of the festive season, and our team is working hard to make sure as many children as possible enjoy the magic and wonder of the season and wake up to gifts this Christmas Day morning.
“Our Christmas appeal this year is enormous. We hear heart-breaking stories every day from parents struggling to provide the basics for their children and knowing they will not have the money to enjoy family Christmas activities, provide a celebratory meal or even be able to wrap a few gifts for their children. The cost-of-living crisis is terrifying to many families in our community. Fearful of energy and food bills over the winter, many parents feel they have no choice but to cancel Christmas.
“The number of requests for help we get grows every day, and so we are grateful to every Christmas shopper who can take a bauble and buy a gift for a local child who would otherwise miss out.
“It is going to be a difficult winter for so many, but the generosity of our community knows no bounds, and together we can bring a smile to children’s faces this Christmas”.
General manager at Union Square, Ryan Manson, said: “It’s fantastic to be welcoming AberNecessities to Union Square to kick off this festive season while supporting such a worthwhile cause.
“With carol singers and entertainers bringing the cheer, what better way to make a difference to the Christmases of the children within our local community with our Giving Tree. Even if they can only donate a small gift, our customers are always generous with their support with a little going a long way.”
Co-founder Michelle Herd added: “For those who would like to purchase a gift but may not have the time to go shopping, AberNecessities has created our Amazon Wish List. We have populated the list based on ‘wish lists’ written to Santa Claus himself. Just a few clicks can make a big difference.
AberNecessities is also asking for businesses to sponsor the Christmas campaign- ‘No Child Should Go Without Believing in Magic’ – to help purchase Christmas Eve gift boxes for local children. The boxes include Christmas activities, pjs, cosy socks, and hot chocolate to help local youngsters enjoy the magic of the season.
“We know people really want to help, and we are keen to offer the opportunity for everyone to support us in whatever way they can. We are extremely grateful to Union Square for its support in making sure families in our area can enjoy the magic of Christmas”.
