Aldi Scotland brings festive cheer to Cranhill community

Aldi Scotland brightened the spirits of Age Scotland’s Cranhill member group on Friday December, 15 by providing funding for an unforgettable Christmas celebration, thanks to their Festive Friends campaign.

The Christmas party, held at the Cranhill Development Trust in Glasgow, treated attendees to a delicious three course Christmas dinner. The catering volunteers who regularly support the group were also able to enjoy the feast as staff took over cooking duties for the day.

The party lit up with joy and laughter as the humorous jokes and heartfelt poems submitted by Aldi shoppers were read aloud. The group were also treated to snacks, drinks and participated in some Christmas themed games before The Wee Garage Band, a local rock and blues cover band, rounded off the merriment.

The Festive Friends campaign was launched by Aldi and Age Scotland, the national charity for older people, in November 2023 when they partnered to bring some much-needed joy to older people experiencing loneliness this winter.

Young Scots were encouraged to share their favourite poem or joke on a Festive Friends postcard and submit it through one of the post-boxes placed in Scottish Aldi stores from 7th to 19th November. Over 500 submissions were received, which were shared across 90 of Age Scotland’s member groups to add a touch of sparkle to their individual Christmas events.

When Aldi Scotland heard that the Cranhill group were struggling to afford their Christmas party, they were delighted to provide a funding boost, ensuring the festive bash was extra special, as for many of the group’s members it was the only celebration they will take part in this year.

Emma Young from the Cranhill Development Trust said: “Thanks to Aldi, we’ve been able to throw an extra special Christmas party this year. Many of our members don’t have any family so the opportunity to come together to enjoy a good meal, quality entertainment and great company can make a huge difference to older people’s quality of life at any time of the year, but no more so than at Christmas.

“Friday's event will be a wonderful lasting memory for years to come. We cannot thank Aldi enough for their support.”

Head of Fundraising and Marketing at Age Scotland, Stacey Kitzinger said: “We were delighted to team up with Aldi to spread some festive cheer this winter and put a smile on older people’s faces through kind words and funny jokes.

“For many of the older people we support, these Christmas parties will be one of the biggest social events, if not the only social event, they’ll attend this season.

“Seeing the Cranhill groups’ faces light up as they read their Festive Friends postcards is one of the best gifts we could’ve asked for this Christmas and showcases the real difference this campaign has had on the lives of older people across Scotland. It highlights that while money is tight, reaching out to help older people feel a little less lonely doesn’t have to cost anything – often the simplest of acts can have the biggest impact.”

Regional Director at Aldi Scotland, Richard Holloway added: “We’d like to extend a massive thank you to all of our customers who took the time to share their favourite joke or poem. This is the first year we have run this campaign and we’re thrilled with the enthusiasm shown.

“Age Scotland does invaluable work for older people across the country and so we were delighted to extend our support to ensure one of their member groups in need could throw the Christmas party they deserved.”