THE Football for Good Fund beneficiary series continues today, as our attention turns to London-based charity, the Cardinal Hume Centre, who have received a £15,000 donation to support their work.

They provide accommodation for young people who have experienced homelessness, and support for families living in poverty in London.

Since the beginning of lockdown, the charity have continued to provide a home to the 36 young people who live at the Centre – many of whom have faced family breakdown, abuse, trauma or fled places of conflict.

They have also provided safe accommodation with 24-hour support and encouraged young residents to stay active with weekly events such as cooking, BBQ or arts sessions while continuing to provide a safe outdoor space to play basketball and table tennis.

Gaia Segal, Family Services Manager at the Cardinal Hume Centre said: “Many families we work with have faced lockdown in overcrowded flats or temporary accommodation.

“We are supporting families who are particularly vulnerable by hosting 15 children a week for stay-play-and-learning sessions, sports, gardening. We also have a teacher who comes in and helps children with their schoolwork.

“Being able to stay open has been important to ensure that the more vulnerable children don’t fall behind in their learning. Perhaps most importantly, it has helped alleviate some of the powerlessness that parents tell us they experience – the anxiety and the stress – just having somewhere they can turn to with their children for support, knowing they are not alone.

“Celtic FC Foundation have supported the Centre for over eight years, and they were one of the first organisations to step in and offer financial assistance when the crisis began - this was vital in ensuring the Centre could provide a safety net for families and young people in crisis.

“Many parents were already struggling to feed their families before this crisis, with virtually all the children we support relying on free school meals.

“To respond to that immediate need, and with help from the Foundation, we were able to offer supermarket vouchers so families could access food and essentials and, so far, we have supported over 220 children in over 100 families with food vouchers, food parcels, nappies and other essentials.

“We would not have been able to do this vital work without the support from Celtic FC Foundation and we are so grateful for their ongoing commitment to help the most vulnerable and isolated throughout this period.”

Through the Football for Good Fund, we have been helping to provide food and essentials to those most likely to be affected by the crisis.

Since the launch of the Fund and throughout the next six months or so, the Foundation has ensured and will continue to ensure food parcels, basic necessities, hot meals and other critical interventions are available to the growing number of people affected by the ruthlessness of COVID-19.

But we can’t do it alone.

To support the Football for Good Fund, you can:

1. Donate by Text – text ‘CELTIC’ followed by ‘£1’, ‘£5’ or ‘£10’ to 70085*

2. Donate Online HERE

3. Donate via PayPal HERE

4. Donate via our Facebook page HERE or set up your own Facebook fundraiser

5. Donate in cash – there are collection boxes in Celtic stores

6. Donate by Cheque – payable to ‘Celtic FC Foundation’ and sent to Celtic FC Foundation, Celtic Park, Glasgow G40 3RE

7. Sign up to regular giving through our Walfrid’s Wish initiative HERE

8. Take part in our ‘Green Day’ on Sunday, August 2 HERE

9. Purchase our 9-in-a-row badge and Glittering Prize print HERE

10. Provide support through your online shopping via Give as you Live and Amazon Smile

11. Get involved in our unique 9-in-a-row nomination fundraiser – details coming soon!

12. Take part in our online auction – details comings soon!

13. Come up with your own fundraising idea and get in touch with us at cfcfoundation@celticfc.co.uk

Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.

*Texts will cost the donation amount, plus one standard rate message.

Football for Good Fund Beneficiary: Cardinal Hume Centre