Help keep Fifers warm and fed this winter

Fife Gingerbread has launched its annual Heat and Eat appeal, in a bid to help families living in poverty throughout the Kingdom.

Donations will go towards payment on top-up meter cards and cupboard essentials as part of a festive package that will help to make Christmas just that little bit more manageable.

The organisation hopes to help more than 130 families and 280 children this year.

‘No bairn should go without the basics,” said Jaqui Hardie, strategic manager.

“At Christmas, our teams work harder and harder to ensure that presents can be opened, bellies are full and homes are warm. Every year it gets harder and every year there are more families need our help. Against all odds the teams are more determined to make sure every bairn has a happy memory this Christmas.”

The charity highlighted two cases in Levenmouth, families that could be helped by the scheme.

“Today we have parents living without the means or social network to provide essential resources to bring up their children,” said Kath Miller, children and family manager.

“Christmas is a time for family, presents and warm and cosy homes but for some it is very different.

“Poverty, with cold and hungry households is the reality for particularly lone parent households.

“The cut to welfare, for both working and nonworking families, means there is nothing spare to make Christmas a special time.

“This significantly impacts upon each member the family – parents feeling guilty for not providing and children feeling guilty for asking. This is further exasperated when children return to school in the new year as their peers will be talking about their new toys and gifts which furthers excludes them.”

You can donate using Fife Gingerbread’s ‘secret Santa’ envelopes – £5 will cover a family meal, £5 to heat a child’s bedroom over the holidays. You can donate at www.fifegingerbread.org.uk.

Fifers can also help by visiting the Fife Gingerbread Facebook page or its new offices in Glenrothes.