AberNecessities: Charity helping disadvantaged families expecting busiest-ever Christmas

A charity supporting disadvantaged families in Aberdeen expects this Christmas to be one of its busiest.

AberNecessities’ annual “Believing in Magic” campaign ensured more than 5,000 children in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire didn’t go without gifts last year.

However, with 24% of Aberdeen’s children living below the poverty line, as many as one in four local children may miss out on the joy of Christmas.

The charity’s co-founder, Danielle Fletcher-Horn, says demand is at an all-time high.

“Given our application process has not seen a decline in our day-to-day running, we are anticipating that number to remain steady or even increase,” she told STV News.

Danielle co-founded the charity alongside her mother, Michelle.

The pair now employ more than a dozen staff and enlist the help of hundreds of volunteers at Christmas time to reach as many families as possible.

Danielle added: “Our team is an amazing team with really experienced staff but I must admit the fear and panic among them always gets heightened at this time of year.

“It’s a huge responsibility and we don’t want to let anyone down.”

The “Believing in Magic” campaign seeks to provide children with Christmas Eve boxes, gifts, pyjamas and other much-needed items.

“Christmas should be a time of joy and celebration, yet for too many children, it’s filled with hardship,” said Danielle.

“Our campaign seeks to change that. With the support of our community, we can bring the wonder and warmth of the season to every child, no matter their circumstances. It’s the kindness and generosity of our community that truly makes this campaign possible.”