A NUMBER of Aberdeen-based businesses have collectively raised and donated £30,000 to a local charity, following the cancellation of the annual CALA Homes business lunch event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event, which has been sponsored by CALA Homes since 2018, is hosted each year and bring companies from across the North East together in aid of Cash for Kids’ Coats for Kids Appeal.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
Why? Free to subscribe, no paywall, daily business news digest.
Despite its cancellation, a number of table hosts who had booked to attend the event kindly donated their table fee to the charity, which will help provide local disadvantaged children with warm clothing to see them through winter.
Michelle Ferguson, Cash for Kids charity manager, said: “Our Coats for Kids Appeal is a fundraising campaign to provide clothing vouchers to children who do not have warm winter clothes to enable them to purchase a winter coat, hat, scarf gloves and shoes.
“This appeal is always oversubscribed which demonstrates the very real need for our help in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
“In 2019 we provided 1,559 vouchers and we expect this number to increase significantly this year as many families will find themselves in difficult circumstances due to the effect Coronavirus has had on their income and ability to provide for their children.
“We are blown away by the kindness of our table hosts who have supported Cash for Kids through this lunch for the past two years.”
Mike Naysmith, CALA Homes (North) managing director, said: “As this year will prove even more challenging for people in need, we are very proud of our fellow local businesses that chose to donate the table host fees.
“This generosity will help Cash for Kids meet voucher requests at a time when many charities have seen a drop in donations due to cancelled fundraising events.”
