Article Source: Quarriers
Last Updated: 22 November 2021 10:31
Christmas is billed as the ‘happiest time of the year’ but for young homeless people the reality can be very different with no delicious Christmas dinner to overindulge on, no family occasions to enjoy and no gifts to open.
Leading health and social care charity Quarriers understands how challenging life can be for these young people and has launched its annual Box of Hope appeal to support young homeless people this winter.
Now in its ninth year, the charity is appealing for donations – from as little as £2 - to help homeless young people across Scotland to receive a gift over the festive period.
On average it is estimated that £5 billion* is wasted on unwanted gifts in Britain every year with more than 21 million people receiving at least one present they do not want and Quarriers is urging people to add a young homeless person to their Christmas list this year instead.
There are three Boxes of Hope available to help to spread festive cheer by making a donation through the Quarriers website, the gifts range from:
• A £2 donation could give a young person their favourite chocolate on Christmas morning
• A £6 donation will provide a young person with toiletries such as bubble bath or shower gel to pamper and care for themselves
• A £10 donation could help to keep a young person warm with a gift which includes thermal gloves or a hat and scarf
In Scotland, almost a quarter of homeless applications are made by those aged 16-24. These young people have often been part of the care system, and may have also experienced difficult family situations and find themselves homeless as a result.
Quarriers offers young people a safe roof over their head and provides as much support as possible to help each individual with their specific circumstances. For many of the supported youngsters, the Christmas gifts from Quarriers’ Box of Hope appeal may be the only gift they receive this year.
Fiona Nicolson, Head of Service – children, families and young people for Quarriers said: “Following the trials brought by the pandemic, 2021 has undoubtedly been a difficult year for everyone. However, this is just one of the worries homeless young people have had weighing heavily on their shoulders.
“The festive period can be an incredibly difficult time for the young people we support, as it is often associated with time spent with family, a time for friends, and, of course, a time for giving.
“They may not have had family to support them during this terrible time and after months of isolation they are facing spending the festive season alone.
“Every service will be different and will closely follow the guidance as Christmas approaches. But what remains true is that Quarriers is working hard to help young people feel less alone on Christmas day.
“We are counting on the generosity of others to provide one small gift to let these young people know that someone is thinking of them and to help them to mark Christmas day against the rest of the year.”
Donations can be made at quarriers.org.uk or by calling 01505 690875.
Secret Stirling Tours – a new bespoke tour of Stirling Castle – launches today (Monday 15 September) giving visitors exclusive access to areas of the site that are normally closed to the public.
READ MOREA Stirling local is set to spend the night in one of the city’s most unusual, and eerie, locations to raise vital funds for children across the world.
READ MOREEdinburgh Spanish Film Festival returns for its 12th edition on the big screen in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling and Inverness from 1st to 19th October 2025.
READ MORECineworld is excited to announce the return of 4DX Rewind this September across Cineworld 4DX cinemas nationwide!
READ MORELocal businesses and social enterprises across the Forth Valley are being invited to explore supply chain opportunities in a free-to-attend event at Alloa Town Hall.
READ MOREScotland's greatest running event, the AJ Bell Great Scottish Run, will return to Glasgow next month, and there’s still time to secure your place.
READ MOREMarston's and Michelin-starred chef Tom Shepherd have teamed up once more to serve up The Best Ever Pub Pie to locals across the country.
READ MOREÒran, the award-winning sell-out hit of the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe embarks on its first ever UK tour this autumn as company Wonder Fools take their work to a host of venues across Scotland.
READ MOREFair Trade Stirling is holding a sponsored bike ride to raise money for its long-term partners in the Karonga District of Malawi.
READ MOREIconic movies celebrating key milestones this year are returning to Vue for a limited run - including Steven Spielberg classic Jaws.
READ MOREThe Scottish Homebuilding & Renovating Show will be packed with expert speakers when it returns to the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston on 4th – 5th October 2025.
READ MORELove Loch Lomond will officially launch its new publication, A Taste of Loch Lomond – Stories and Flavours from the Bonnie Banks, at the Loch Lomond Food & Drink Festival on Sunday 7th September.
READ MOREIt might only be September, but the C-word is not too far away, so it's time to start thinking about planning the annual office Christmas shindig before everything gets booked up!
READ MOREBusiness Gateway, Scotland's national business support service, has launched Scottish Start-Up Month, a nationwide campaign to celebrate Scotland's entrepreneurial spirit.
READ MOREStirling’s outstanding independent and national retailers are set to be recognised and rewarded at the city’s 2026 Business Awards.
READ MOREBusinesses, visitors and residents are urged to feedback on Stirling’s draft Visitor Levy scheme as drop-in sessions begin.
READ MOREVikings, a pie eating competition, new celebrated chef and dog & duck shows set to bring new energy to Loch Lomond Food and Drink Festival this September.
READ MOREThe winners of the 2025 Scottish Bar & Pub Awards were unveiled on the 26th of August at a glittering, Oscars-themed ceremony held at the Doubletree by Hilton, Glasgow.
READ MOREThe Stirling Photography Festival is proud to announce the launch of a series of exhibitions in rural Stirling as part of their 2025 programme.
READ MOREBraveheart continues to be a huge draw for visitors to Scotland as Stirling prepares to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Oscar-winning epic.
READ MOREThe Edinburgh Butter Company has announced the return of its ‘Scotland’s Best Croissant’ competition on Monday 13th October.
READ MOREBusinesses across Stirling and beyond are being invited to take the ‘Forth Valley Five’ pledge: a bold new initiative designed to celebrate local food and drink and boost community wealth.
READ MOREPeople across Scotland invited to take part in national conversation about heritage.
READ MOREA multiple Clan skirmish of epic proportions is on the cards again for mountain bike Enduro riders when Clans @ The Croft, the first team event on the UK's Enduro calendar, returns to Creiff.
READ MOREThe Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo closes the drawbridge on its 75th anniversary Show, as tickets for next year go on sale.
READ MOREResidents, community groups and other key stakeholders will have the opportunity to shape Stirling’s future as the consultation on the area’s new Local Development Plan enters crucial new phase.
READ MOREScottish shoppers will hardly believe it when they see it today as Primark finally relents on one of its biggest brand debates after 50 years.
READ MOREScotland's best loved family resort, Crieff Hydro, has unveiled details of a specially curated programme of events as it prepares to welcome guests over the festive period.
READ MOREThe shortlist for the Scots Language Awards 2025 has been unveiled, with figures from Scottish literature, theatre, education and business all in the running for awards at the annual ceremony.
READ MOREInnis & Gunn has claimed double gold on the global stage, winning best in Scotland for the second year running at the World Beer Awards.
READ MORE