Fife pupils' do their bit for Christmas Appeal

Carla McDowell (9), of Bennochy View held a bake sale at her home which raised £205 for the Cottage Family Centre’s annual Christmas Appeal to help families struggling to cope with the additional expense of the festive period.

Carla, a pupil at Kirkcaldy North Primary is a seasoned fundraiser and chooses one charity each year to donate to.

Her mum Gillian said she had been speaking to a friend about the Cottage and decided to put her love of baking to good use by organising the sale for family and friends.

“She did most of the baking herself and raised the money in just two hours,” said Gillian. “I am very proud of her.”

Carla’s friend Aubry Laing (7), who lives in the same street and attends Dunnikier Primary, decided she wanted to help the centre after being set a homework challenge on donating to charity.

She wrote to friends and neighbours asking them to donate non-perishable food which she and her mum Karen then collected, boxed up and took to the Cottage Centre in Cawdor Crescent where they were very warmly received.

Pauline Buchan, service manager at the Cottage, said: “We are very grateful to both girls for their generosity which will be warmly welcomed by lots of families in and around Kirkcaldy this Christmas.”

Meanwhile Kirkcaldy North Primary teacher Abigail King is arranging a Funkathon for pupils at her school featuring a variety of sponsored dance related events, with people pledging food and toys instead of money.

Pupils in S5 at Balwearie High will also be helping out as part of their citizenship studies by collecting toys to be taken to the centre and assisting staff in sorting them out to be delivered to local families.