Volunteers helping others on the night before Christmas in Grangemouth

For the second straight year a kind-hearted band of volunteers will gather together in Grangemouth tonight to hand out food and gifts to those who need it most.

The nights may be getting colder, but that does not stop the people who will be helping to hand out vital food packages and Christmas presents giving a warm welcome to those who pop into Kersiebank Communit Project in Oxgang Road from 7pm.

The project has already been busy this month hosting its open day recently, with over 100 people attending over the two hours taking away much needed household items, clothes and shoes, toys, book and baby products.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Kersiebank has also been handing out Christmas food parcels and toys to over 60 families last week following referrals from schools and health visitors and hosted an afternoon Christmas party for 30 children.

Tonight’s initiative follows on from the 2018 Christmas Eve event – which actually kickstarted Kersiebank’s all year long foodbank – which saw volunteers give up their time to help others by handing out food and other essentials to whoever dropped in.

Once again Aldi will be supporting the night with food donations.

Then on Christmas Day, isolated people who would normally find themselves all alone can come along to Talbot House, in Talbot Street, Grangemouth, from 1pm to 3pm where they can enjoy a free slap-up meal prepared by award-winning Edinburgh chef Paul Mundy and a bit of company.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Toni Coates organised the event, which she calls a Very Terry Christmas, in memory of her dad Terry Bulmer who sadly took his own life earlier in the year, just two days before his 59th birthday.

After months of fundraising and generous donations, the event now has the green light and if people get in touch with Toni she can even arrange to have them driven to Talbot House if they are unable to make their own way there.

Toni said: “People can have their dinner here and the Earl of Zetland will open its doors straight after so they can go there for free teas, coffees and mince pies and socialise for a bit longer. “The aim is to feed as many people as possible and, you never know, they may make a few friends.”