Celtic charity donates £400,000 in fuel vouchers

Celtic defender Josip Juranovic has thrown his weight behind the campaign.

Celtic Football Club's charity foundation is to give £400,000 worth of one-off fuel payments to help people with the cost of living.

Fuel vouchers worth £49 are to be distributed to more than 6,000 homes across Scotland.

The charity, working with the Fuel Bank Foundation, hopes the scheme will directly benefit over 17,000 people.

An additional 500 vulnerable people are to receive a winter warmer pack, worth £100.

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All 42 Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) clubs have initiatives that are increasingly turning towards helping those struggling with the cost of living.

The foundations and charitable trusts are getting bigger and they're increasingly in demand.

"For many people, football is relatable," said Celtic FC Foundation chief executive, Tony Hamilton.

"It's right that we do something - we know we can't do everything but we can do something that will have an impact across the country.

"Football doesn't always get a great reputation but this is one of the positives of football, for sure."

Charity fundraising is a regular activity both at matches and in the local community

Celtic was founded in Glasgow's east end in 1887, as a way to help feed the poor in the area - mostly Irish immigrants.

The club is keen that it carries on that tradition to help with modern-day problems.

"Last year, for our Christmas appeal alone, we managed to raise over £380,000," added Tony Hamilton.

"We want to help bring some normality to families and help organisations who fund people whose lives are chaotic in some way - homeless people, women and children in refuse, refugees, and again that's important to us as a club that was effectively born of immigrants."

Foodbank collections have become as familiar a sight outside Celtic Park as scarf stalls.

Audrey Flanagan, from the Glasgow South East Fuel Bank, said the centre has never been busier and thinks big organisations could do much more to help.

"We work very closely with Pollok FC, so the links are there and we understand the power that sport has in bringing together the community.

"These things require everybody to do a bit of work though, so if you're a big organisation, for want of a better phrase, get your finger out and do something!"

Heart of Midlothian is another Scottish club providing help to those struggling

Celtic are not alone in reaching out to help the local communities that provide their support on a Saturday and beyond.

Hearts' charity wing is called Big Hearts.

They provide similar-style support to the Celtic Foundation- reaching out in various ways to help those in need in areas such as poverty and homelessness.

"Our work during the pandemic saw us become a bit of a community anchor," said Craig Wilson, General Manager of Big Hearts Community Trust.

"That came in the form of supporting people in their own homes, providing hot food, so we've become known for doing more than ever before.

"It's very obvious that there are real concerns about this coming winter so we need to do all we can with the power of this football club, and what we have here, to make a difference."