Just a few months ago, local children’s charity - AberNecessities faced an uncertain Christmas.
With thousands of gifts to organise, Christmas Eve boxes to prepare and a dedicated team of volunteers ready to get to work, the children's charity was struggling to find a space large enough to accommodate its annual festive campaign.
Stepping in at a crucial moment, fellow Aberdeen charity VSA offered AberNecessities the use of Ruthrieston House, providing a much-needed home for the campaign and allowing preparations to get underway in time for Christmas.
The building has since been transformed into a bustling Christmas workshop, where the staff and volunteers are busy preparing thousands of carefully chosen gifts and Christmas Eve boxes for children across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
An estimated one in five children in Aberdeen are living in poverty, the rising cost of everyday essentials continues to place enormous pressure on local families. For parents already struggling to make ends meet, Christmas can bring more worry than wonder, with the simple wish to make the season special for their children feeling increasingly out of reach.
Through Believe in Magic, AberNecessities hopes to ease that burden, creating personalised Christmas Eve boxes filled with thoughtful gifts, cosy pyjamas, festive treats and little surprises, ensuring children can experience the excitement and wonder of Christmas, whatever their circumstances.
Danielle Flecher-Horn, Founder of AberNecessities, said: “VSA has, quite simply, saved Christmas for thousands of local children. We were facing the very real possibility of not having a home for Believe in Magic this year, which was heartbreaking. Childhood is so fleeting, and those precious years of believing in Christmas magic are even shorter. Every child deserves that excitement and wonder.
“Thanks to VSA, Ruthrieston House is now a hive of Christmas activity, with our wonderful team and volunteers preparing thousands of gifts and Christmas Eve boxes. For parents who may have been dreading Christmas, it brings an enormous sense of relief. And for their children, it means all the anticipation, excitement and joy of Christmas can be theirs, too. That's what makes this so special.”
Alex Busch CEO, speaking on behalf of VSA, said: "At VSA, we are committed to supporting people across our communities. When we learned that AberNecessities urgently needed a space to continue its Believe in Magic campaign, we were delighted to be able to help.
"The work AberNecessities does is truly remarkable, bringing joy and hope to children and families who may be facing significant challenges. By opening the doors of Ruthrieston House, we hope we have played a small part in helping thousands of local children experience the magic and excitement that every child deserves at Christmas.
"This partnership is a wonderful example of what can be achieved when local charities work together for the benefit of our community, and we are proud to support such an important initiative."
AberNecessities is now calling on the local community to help make this year's Believe in Magic campaign as special as possible. From donating gifts and supporting its Giving Tree initiative to volunteering or making a financial contribution, every act of kindness helps bring a little Christmas magic to a child who might otherwise miss out.
This Christmas, thanks to VSA, the magic has a home. To find out more about Believe in Magic and how to support the campaign, visit https://www.abernecessities.co.uk/believeinmagic26.