Killie’s Mission Christmas Appeal

This winter, more than ever, Killie’s Mission Christmas is looking for food, toiletries and more to help those in our community struggling the most.

The project, in association with East Ayrshire Council, the SPFL Trust, and a range of club partners, aims to alleviate those suffering food poverty and social isolation during the Christmas season.

1 in 4 children and their households live in poverty in Ayrshire. This is expected to rise to 29% of children by 2024.

Across Scotland, if you live within 10 miles of an SPFL stadium, you are 3x more likely to experience poverty. Kilmarnock Football Club and KCST need your help to support those most in need this month.

If you can spare, or donate:

UHT milk, any toiletries, tea/coffee/sugar, rice, diluting juice, pasta sauce, tinned meat, custard creams/bourbon biscuits or any other non-perishable items.

Please donate any of the above items in time for Wednesday 21^st December 2022. We can collect at the Killie Superstore, during its opening hours.

Your amazing generosity will be recognised by:

• Your name/logo on the stickers of our hampers, photographed/filmed being packed by Kilmarnock FC’s Men’s First Team.
• A photo on social media thanking you for your donation by Killie’s Community Trust.
• Your name/logo featured on our end of year ‘Thank you’ website post on kilmarnockfc.co.uk

Listen to @KillieCommunity’s Daryl Knapp speak about the impact our programmes will have this winter 📻

We need your support now more than ever, to provide essential items to those who need them most during the Festive period.

👉 https://t.co/KBqygnkPEQ pic.twitter.com/kqJhAD7Cyb

— Kilmarnock Community Sports Trust (@KillieCommunity) December 12, 2022

The campaign has the largest-ever fund this year, a total of £133,000, which means the SPFL Trust will be able to support an extra 1,000 people via clubs and community trusts.

As such, the programme is expected to support over 4,000 people this year across Scotland.

It’s been a difficult year so far for everyone with the cost of living crisis, but, of course, winter is always a particularly tough time for the elderly, who are at higher risk of social isolation.

Festive Friends brings Christmas cheer and companionship to elderly people who are socially isolated and at risk of being alone during the festive season.

Almost 9,000 people have enjoyed Festive Friends in the last six years and that number is expected to reach nearly 15,000.

Hampers usually contain food, snacks, essential toiletries, gifts, games and more. Some clubs even send video messages from managers and players; others have players make personal deliveries.

This year, given the current crisis facing the country, the SPFL Trust has also organised for Age Scotland Friendship Line flyers to be distributed in each hamper featuring helpful information.

This year Killie staff and volunteers will continue to visit participants with hampers, and have already welcomed participants to the ground to enjoy a hot Christmas lunch.

SPFL Trust CEO Nicky Reid said: “Festive Friends is one of our biggest events at the SPFL Trust and for our colleagues at clubs and community trusts.

“It’s all about coming together to have a real impact in the lives of elderly and isolated people over the festive period – reaching more people than ever this year.

“It’s the Christmas spirit in action as we see the power of football in spades – with clubs spreading cheer in their communities.

“Scottish football is trusted to support, and our recent research shows that almost 83% of people live within ten miles of a SPFL ground – because of this clubs and their associated community trusts are well positioned to effect this type of change in their communities.

“This year 43 SPFL clubs are involved making it our biggest programme yet, supported by a record-breaking fund of £133,000. We look forward to supporting more elderly people than ever before, after all kindness never mattered more.”

First team players and club staff were on hand to fill boxes with food and gifts before being transported across the region.

“This is set to be another difficult festive period, and I’m glad that we could do our part to help tackle some issues affecting vulnerable people head on.”