A Tradition of Giving: Blackhall St Columba's generous support for local causes continues

An Edinburgh Church has announced that their most recent charity fundraising efforts, which this year will support the work of a local children's charity, have totalled £10,000.

The donated money will help HopScotch to provide respite breaks for some of Scotland's most vulnerable and disadvantaged children
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The entire amount raised by Blackhall St Columba since they began supporting a different charity annually in 1992 is now £274,076.

Lynn Bunney, from the congregation's WATCH committee which oversees the initiative said:

"WATCH stands for Working All Together Caring and Helping Through the Cross.

"It was set up to raise funds for a charity outside the church, which is something we do every year.

"Last year it was the Pilton Equalities Project.

"In Covid they were providing food parcels, they also run minibuses and pick up the housebound and take them to day-care units, and they offer lifts to people.

"Everything that we raise goes to the charity.

"We start off with a coin collection in the summer and then we have a coffee morning and then we have the Christmas fair, which is amazing."

The work of the committee is particularly inspired by Deuteronomy 15:10: "Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake."

They were also helped by the members of Drylaw Parish Church, and it is planned that the two congregations will form a union further down the line.

Whilst the next charity that the congregation will support is still to be decided, Ms Bunney explained that they will be trying something new.

"This year we're going to branch out and do a 2025 calendar to sell," she said.

"We're going to run a competition encouraging everyone to send in photos of their pets and then we'll pick the best ones for the calendar."

Previous beneficiaries have included children's bereavement charity Richmond's Hope and Fresh Start, an organisation helping people who have been homeless to get established in their new homes.

Rev Fergus Cook, who is the minister of Blackhall St Columba's said:

"I feel blessed to have come to Blackhall St Columba's and to have inherited a well-oiled machine that is used to supporting and raising funds for charity.

"Despite the break with Covid, they have been able to continue with a massive amount of fundraising that's made a huge difference to people in the local area and beyond.

"They are a fantastic team with very good people behind it."

Roberta McKay, co-founder of HopScotch, said:

"On behalf of HopScotch, I would like to thank everyone at Blackhall St Columba's Church who contributed to the generous donation of £10,000.

"This award will support the cost of running our 2024 respite programme, which runs from 18 March until 23 November, enabling around 400 children to have a respite break from challenging home environments."