Fife charity receives over 35 tonnes of donations to help Afghan refugees

Crossgates based charity, Acorn Aid (Scotland), has received over 35 tonnes of donations from generous Fifers after appealing for help on Facebook.
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Members of the charity had no idea that their latest project would take off on such a huge scale and so quickly after posting a message asking for support on the popular social media site.

After the call for help was put out, the post on the charity’s Facebook page, which only has just over 1000 followers, reached over 95,000 people.

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Some of the Acorn Aid team helping to sort through the masses of donations.Some of the Acorn Aid team helping to sort through the masses of donations.
Some of the Acorn Aid team helping to sort through the masses of donations.
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Since then Acorn Aid has been inundated with donations from caring Fifers wanting to help Afghan refugees who are heading to the Kingdom.

A spokesperson for the charity said: “We had planned to accept donations Monday 23 - Friday 27 of August, but found that our facilities were at capacity after only three evenings, with over 100 visitors donating each night.

"We thought we might get one tonne of donations but by Wednesday 25, we had exceeded 35 tonnes.”

Just some of the donations that came pouring in to help Afghan refugees.Just some of the donations that came pouring in to help Afghan refugees.
Just some of the donations that came pouring in to help Afghan refugees.

Donations were received from all over Fife, with some even coming from as far away as Aberdeen and Edinburgh, the charity added.

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“We want to issue a grateful thanks to Trinity Church, Crossgates, which was used as the drop off and sorting point, as well as Williamson Haulage, in Cowdenbeath, for transport and for supplying 20 foot container.

“A special thanks goes out to everyone who donated, and also to the dozens of volunteers for giving freely of their time to help sort and organise donations.

Acorn Aid soon ran out of places to store all of the donations that generous Fifers brought in.Acorn Aid soon ran out of places to store all of the donations that generous Fifers brought in.
Acorn Aid soon ran out of places to store all of the donations that generous Fifers brought in.

“This includes individuals, groups of friends, church members, 46th Fife Scout Group and parents, Councillor Darren Watt and his family, Zoe for co-ordinating in Ceres, and Mark for co-ordinating in Auchtermuchty.

"Without everyone's help, the success of this venture would not be possible.”

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All donations will be given to Fife Voluntary Action on Tuesday, August 31, for distribution to Afghan refugees.

Over the last five years Acorn Aid has also given assistance to local homeless charities, purchased defibrillators and public access boxes, Christmas food parcels for families, delivered shopping, home baking, and gardening for those who were housebound or self isolating due to lockdown during the ongoing pandemic.

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