Launch of family appeal

Lisburn Bus Station is just one of the many locations across Northern Ireland where people can donate gifts to The Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul’s annual Christmas Family Appeal.

The campaign, which runs until December 18, is aimed at ensuring all disadvantaged children in Northern Ireland have a present to open this Christmas, and is supported by Translink and U105 through their Stuff A Bus initiative, in which they are aiming to fill a double decker with 15,000 gifts for underprivileged children.

The ‘Stuff A Bus’ appeal, launched for the first-time last year, exceeded its target of 10,000 donations and stuffed two single decker buses with more than 12,000 presents, thanks to the generosity of Translink customers, staff and U105’s listeners.

Now back for its second year, the organisations are calling on local people’s support to stuff a double decker with 15,000 toys and gifts.

Gift donations for children aged from newborn to 16 years are welcome at all SVP and Salvation Army locations as well as in Tesco stores, Gordons Chemists, Visit Belfast Welcome Centre and at Lisburn Translink bus and rail station.

All gifts must be new and unwrapped and the Appeal would especially welcome donations for older boys and girls; such as gift vouchers, board games, selection boxes, and toiletries.