Saints in the Community Joins SPFL Trust Festive Friends Campaign

Saints in the Community Joins SPFL Trust Festive Friends Campaign

Saints in the Community is pleased to share news about the upcoming participation in this year’s Festive Friends program in collaboration with the SPFL Trust. The SPFL Trust program, now in its eighth year, involves all 41 SPFL-associated community trusts and clubs collaborating with local partners to identify older individuals who may be experiencing feelings of loneliness or isolation, including St. Johnstone.

❄️l It's that time of year again… Festive Friends is coming home for Christmas!

We will be visiting nominated elderly people with special Christmas hampers & also welcome other nominees to McDiarmid Park, to enjoy a hot Christmas meal!

Read more & Nominate:… pic.twitter.com/0Z9uhjUTHN

— Saints in the Community (@Saints_Trust) November 23, 2023

This year, staff and volunteers from Saints in the Community will be distributing hampers to individuals across the local community. Additionally, there will be an increased focus on an in-person event, where nominees will be welcomed to McDiarmid Park to enjoy a warm Christmas lunch, engaging activities, receive a gift, and have transportation provided to and from the venue.

The program is anticipated to assist approximately 3,600 individuals throughout Scotland this year. In light of the challenges posed by the cost-of-living crisis, this has been a demanding year for everyone. Winter, especially, is a challenging period for older individuals, given their heightened susceptibility to social isolation and loneliness.

Nicky Reid, CEO of SPFL Trust, remarked:

Festive Friends holds a prominent place in the SPFL Trust calendar, standing out as one of the major initiatives for our colleagues at clubs and community trusts across Scotland. Our research indicates that nearly 83% of people reside within ten miles of an SPFL ground. This proximity enables clubs and their affiliated community trusts to effectively contribute to positive change in their communities. With the participation of 42 clubs this year, we are enthusiastic about spreading festive joy to numerous individuals across Scotland, fostering kindness and compassion this Christmas.

Festive Friends is designed to bring holiday joy and companionship to elderly individuals facing social isolation and the risk of spending the festive season alone. Over the last seven years, approximately 13,000 people have benefited from Festive Friends, and this number is expected to rise to nearly 17,000 this year.