Applications soar for Cash for Kids Coat Appeal

More than a thousand kids across Aberdeen and the Shire have applied to Northsound’s charity Cash for Kids for warm winter clothing this year.

That’s several hundred more youngsters being helped by the Coat appeal compared with last year, when the team provided 886 children with a clothing voucher.

It is the sad truth that many families in the North East struggle with financial hardship and cannot afford to provide the basics for their children such as clothes.

Every winter families like this have to make difficult decisions on whether to buy clothes, food or pay the bills.

Amanda Pirie from the Printfield Community Project works closely with Cash for Kids throughout the year.

She says your donations make a huge difference:

"Some of our families, both parents are working, but they're still having to use foodbanks. That's because of how expensive it is to just live nowadays. They are having to choose between heating their homes, what shopping they're buying, if they can afford that new, properly-fitting jacket.

"People don't ask to be in this situation, they can't help it and they're trying their best. They'd love to give their child everything they need, but it's not always the case that they can.

"It's one of the best parts of my job, when I see the kids have received their winter clothes. Their faces light up, the way they carry themselves changes. Just having something that everyone else has - a jacket, thats not too small or too thin. It's going to keep them warm, they'll be able to concentrate better at school. And actually go to school, they won't have to take so much time off because they're catching illnesses. They're absolutely on top of the world, and they really take care of the clothes - it's so special to them and they really take care of the stuff they receive."

You can help Cash for Kids keep North East youngsters warm this winter, by donating to our Coat appeal.