A VOLUNTARY group is urging people to help make sure it’s a wonderful Christmas time for youngsters across Renfrewshire.

Renfrewshire Helping Those In Need, led by Jade and Amanda Macdonald, is a local organisation which collects donations of items such as furniture, clothing and food throughout the year to match with cash-strapped families in the area.

The Paisley-based group is now organising a toy appeal for a second year to help as many children as possible get the full festive experience they deserve this December.

“Last Christmas, we helped provide a range of things, from food to toys, to over 500 families in Renfrewshire,” Jade told The Gazette.

“We have set up an Amazon Wish List, which lets people purchase a range of gifts at affordable prices which will be delivered to us. We then sort through the donations and distribute them based on the needs and preferences of each of our referrals.

“With Covid, we are trying to limit handling as much as possible, so people can also make donations through our PayPal account, which we are using to purchase products from local businesses as a way to support them during these difficult times.”

Jade set up the voluntary group in 2018 with her wife Amanda to help families facing poverty.

She believes that, this winter, there will be a much higher number of referrals compared to last year.

“We have started our toy appeal a bit earlier this year because we know there are a lot more people who are struggling with the Covid situation and are uncertain about how they are going to manage during Christmas,” said Jade.

“Our toy appeal is a bit different from other ones, in that families can refer themselves if they are struggling. It doesn’t matter where in Renfrewshire you are from, we will do our best to help whoever contacts us.

“We’ve spoken to people at foodbanks who told us they have to jump through a lot of bureaucratic hoops before they get any help, so we’ve made our referral much more simple and all families will receive something.”

If you would like to donate to the appeal or find out more, search for ‘Renfrewshire Helping Those In Need’ on Facebook.