Celtic FC Foundation

Making Christmas Magic…✨🎄 Brendan Rodgers helped to launch our Christmas Appeal at St Mary’s, the birthplace of #CelticFC ⛪️🍀 The Club once again kicked off the campaign with a donation of £10K!

The Foundation will distribute 5️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ Winter Warmer Packs to vulnerable pensioners across Glasgow and surrounding areas ❄️📦 Each Winter Warmer pack is thoughtfully curated to help recipients stay warm and nourished during the cold months. The packs include a heated throw, a hat, scarf, gloves, a wind-up radio, and a £30 supermarket voucher, providing both practical support and a touch of festive cheer. Celtic FC Foundation will work closely with local housing associations and community groups, to ensure the packs reach those who need them most, providing warmth to pensioners and other vulnerable individuals affected by fuel poverty and financial hardship. Donna-Marie Henry, Head of Foundation, emphasised the importance of this initiative: “Our Winter Warmer packs are a simple but vital way to provide comfort and support to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. “With energy prices rising and many living on limited incomes, this winter is particularly challenging for so many. We’re proud to play our part in easing that burden.” Together we can ‘Make Christmas Magic’.

A phenomenal total in excess of £15K was raised at last Saturday's Bucket Collection, supporting those most in need this festive period 🪣💚 Thanks so much for your wonderful support 👏

Help us ‘Make Christmas Magic’ for beneficiaries like Refuweegee, who need our support this festive season ✨🎄 The winter period can be a particularly challenging time of year for those arriving in a new country and organisations such as Refuweegee play a vital role in ensuring that those seeking refuge feel welcome and supported, during their darkest of times. Celtic Captain, Callum McGregor and winger James Forrest recently joined Celtic FC Foundation, as we paid a visit to Refuweegee, to hear more about the fantastic work they do and meet some of their volunteers, each of whom have found refuge in Glasgow. Speaking during the visit, Selena Hales of Refuweegee said: “Here at Refuweegee, we provide critical support with food, toiletries, household items, clothing and footwear. “We always prioritise the support from Celtic FC Foundation for those who are living on the lowest budget and in the most difficult accommodation. In Glasgow, there are hundreds, if not thousands of people living in hotel accommodation, on a budget of just £8.86 per week. “It’s lovely to have Callum and James with us and for them to get involved in the work that our volunteers do, learn about what we do here at Refuweegee and understand the difference that Celtic FC Foundation’s support will make. “Celtic fans have always been phenomenal to Refuweegee and we are eternally grateful for that.”

💚 #RefugeesWelcome 🧡   Callum McGregor and James Forrest were invited to #ChristmasAppeal2024 beneficiary Refuweegee, where they met staff, volunteers, and sorted out clothes and essentials for those in need 👕👚

A huge thank you to the 6️⃣0️⃣+ participants who took part and completed today's #SantaStroll 🎅🍀 #ChristmasAppeal2024 🎄

Great to see the #ChristmasAppeal2024 logo on the Hoops today! 💚 Thanks once again to the incredible generosity of club sponsors Dafabet and Magners Irish Cider 👏

Thanks to both Dafabet and Magners, the #CelticFC first team will sport our unique #ChristmasAppeal2024 logo on their jerseys for #CELHIB tomorrow 👕🍀 The main focus on the park will, of course, be on securing another three points for the Bhoys, however, the focus off it will be Celtic FC Foundation’s 2024 Christmas Appeal. A selection of these match worn or match issue shirts will be signed and made available to bid on via our charity eBay account. Bidding will go live at 4pm next Monday, December 9 and will close around 4pm on Monday, December 16. In addition to the shirts being auctioned, everyone who contributes to this year’s Appeal will be in with a chance of winning one of the signed Christmas Appeal logo shirts from the match, in a free prize draw later in December. Supporters should also keep an eye out at the match, as our Foundation Appeal video featuring Manager, Brendan Rodgers will also be played in the lead up to kick-off. And of course, in the lead up to the match, we are humbly encouraging supporters to get behind the Appeal via our Bucket Collection – our only one of the season and the only legitimate collection at the stadium on Saturday. The event will see over 100 volunteers situated around the stadium footprint from 1.30pm right up until kick-off. We will, of course, gratefully accept cash donations on the day however, as many supporters now opt not to carry cash to matches, we will also offer a contactless donation option at our Celtic FC Foundation branded gazebos and flags situated around the ground.

A tremendous total in the region of £29K was raised at #GhirlsforGood- with every penny being devoted to #ChristmasAppeal2024 💃👏 Our Ghirls for Good event returned to the Kerrydale Suite on Friday night, as over 300 fantastic guests joined us for another wonderful night full of festive fun. Ghirls for Good – which was sponsored for a magnificent seventh time by the amazing Ellen Kane Trust – was, of course, hosted by the one and only Edward Reid who provided his unique style of entertainment for our guests, as he always does. Each gorgeous Ghirl was also invited to bring along a gift for a local child and, as always, the response was incredible and we were once again truly humbled by donations received on the night. These will now be distributed to children who are sick or disadvantaged before the sleigh bells ring on Christmas Eve. The beneficiary organisations, who will come along to Celtic Park today to collect these gifts, include Bargeddie Toddlers, Castlemilk Day Nursery, Children in Care in Edinburgh and Fife, Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership, Glasgow Women’s Aid, Kids Out, Loaves & Fishes, Salvation Army Parkhead, Scottish Refugee Council, Simon Community Scotland and Spirit Aid. Celtic FC Foundation Chief Executive, Tony Hamilton spoke following the event, saying: “Ghirls for Good is always a real highlight of our Christmas Appeal fundraising efforts and we’re delighted that it’s once again been a great success, thanks to the support of so many. “I’d like to thank everyone who was in attendance for their continued backing of our Christmas Appeal. “We are incredibly grateful to our event sponsor and Fly High NY donor – Angela Quinn and the Ellen Kane Trust – whose generosity towards this event over the years has been simply magnificent. “And thanks also to our wonderful host Edward Reid, as well as Brendan Rodgers, members of the men’s and women’s teams, Charlotte Rodgers, Janie Kennedy, Paula Woods, Mark Gordon, DJ Paddy, Celtic Santa, everyone who donated a prize, our print donor Bell & Bain and our volunteers, for the part that each of them played.” Funds raised at Ghirls for Good will be devoted to supporting our 2024 Christmas Appeal.

Celtic players today made their annual Christmas visit to Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity, spreading festive cheer to young patients and their families 🎄☺️ The full first-team squad attended, handing out gifts, taking photographs with children on the wards, and spending time with parents at a period which represents a challenging time for so many. As part of the visit, the Foundation donated £10,000 to Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity in support of their vital work. The contribution forms part of the Foundation’s Christmas Appeal, which reflects the club’s longstanding commitment to helping those in need. The festive period, although ordinarily a joyous time for most, can often be one of the most difficult and challenging times of the year for those facing hardship in their lives. Through this year’s Christmas Appeal, Celtic FC Foundation will assist local families facing poverty, so they can enjoy the type of Christmas that many of us take for granted – as well as pensioners, women and children in refuge, the homeless community, refugees, and a host of others who would otherwise struggle over the festive period. Celtic captain, Callum McGregor spoke about the importance of today’s visit, emphasising the deep connection between Celtic Football Club and the local community: The skipper said: “Celtic has always been about more than football—it’s about family, compassion, and helping others. “Our visit to Glasgow Children’s Hospital is a tradition that means so much to all of us. Spending time with these brave kids and their families is incredibly humbling, and seeing the smiles on their faces is what Christmas is all about. “The charitable roots of our club, established by Brother Walfrid to support those in need, remain at the heart of everything we do. “Celtic FC Foundation continues this legacy, and we are proud to contribute to the incredible work of Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, which provides such vital support to young patients and their families.” The Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity works tirelessly to fund life-changing medical equipment, family support services, and innovative play therapies that enhance the hospital experience for thousands of children across Scotland. Through the donation made via this year’s Christmas Appeal, Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity will be able to provide special Christmas presents to hundreds of children in their care, who are affected by ongoing health issues. Expressing her gratitude for the visit and donation, Kirsten Watson, CEO of Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “There’s a magical atmosphere in the hospital when the Celtic players visit. We are indebted to the club, the Foundation and its supporters for making such a difference to the lives of our young patients and their families, year after year. It’s one of our most cherished traditions, and one that the children will always remember.”