Central Car Auctions in association with the Cash for Kids appeal has been helping to support the most vulnerable children in our communities. 

To date the appeal has raised over £16 million helping 1.5 million children. Last year over 117,000 children facing financial, emotional, physical or educational challenges were helped by your generous donations. Each Christmas the trustees want to ensure that children in your area experience all the happiness that any child looks forward to at this time of celebration.

Every year over 21,000 applications for support are received from individual families and social work departments across 15 local authorities.  Your donations help families buy Christmas presents and provide treats for their children, things most of us take for granted. Statistics highlight the extent of child poverty across many of our communities. 

Over a quarter of a million children living in Scotland are living in poverty.  Child poverty is not just material and economic, but also poverty of opportunity.  It is widely accepted that children’s experiences in the earliest years of their lives strongly influence their future.

The Cash for Kids Trust is working with a number of agencies to focus on early intervention. The Trust is in partnership with Glasgow City Council and North Ayrshire Council as part of a pilot project offering free places to families of two-year olds in need of additional support because the parents themselves require health or social work services. 

Hundreds of children are presently benefitting from this initiative.  Many issues faced by families are exacerbated by drug and alcohol abuse and physical and mental health problems.  The First Base Project in Castlemilk is an initiative to improve support to vulnerable pre-5s and their families. 

The project aims to understand and support effectively the emotional needs of young children living in adverse circumstances through parental addictions. Bobath Scotland based in Drumchapel received a grant to purchase equipment to help improve the communication and mobility of children with cerebral palsy.

The Centre for Under 5s helps children with additional support needs and their families.  As part of this support they provide a toy lending library that makes available specialist toys and play equipment which would otherwise be beyond the financial reach of many parents and carers. 

In addition to a three year commitment to fund the project, they received a grant to purchase new toys and equipment.  Seasons for Growth is a unique loss and grief peer support programme for children who have experienced significant loss due to death or family breakdown. Research has shown that children coping with loss and change are at an increased risk of educational difficulties and physical and emotional health problems. 

Based at the Notre Dame Centre in Glasgow, Seasons for Growth is supported by a grant to train companions for the programme. Princess Royal Trust Young Carers – a young carer is a child or young person carrying out significant caring tasks and assuming a level of responsibility for another person, that would normally be taken by an adult. 

The trust supports two pilot projects in South Ayrshire and Renfrewshire.  These projects will provide support to young carers while helping them develop their self-esteem and reducing the impact caring may have on their education and social life. Riding for the Disabled – provides horse-riding facilities to disabled children and receives an annual grant from the Trust towards the upkeep of Barney, the Cash for Kids pony.  

The Cash for Kids appeal is entirely dependent on the money you raise.  There are many ways to get involved in fundraising at home, work, school or college. The Cash for Kids Trustees are passionate about ensuring that all the money raised goes directly to help children most in need of support.  No money is deducted from fundraising to pay for administration.

For further information contact the team on 0141 204 1025