Celtic FC was founded in the 19th century as a means to help those put at a disadvantage; in the 21st century the Celtic FC Foundation is continuing to fulfil that promise.
The charitable arm of the club is leading the charge to tackle the fuel crisis across Scotland.
It has announced a link-up with the Fuel Bank Foundation - the UK’s only charity focused on specifically supporting people facing fuel crisis - and on Friday confirmed a £400,000 contribution to aid those most disadvantaged within our communities and who are struggling to pay for domestic fuel.
With the cost of living crisis also a growing concern for many people the CFCF will be distributing fuel vouchers worth £49.
The Foundation estimates that some 6,200 households and 17,000 individuals will benefit from the scheme.
In addition, 500 people will receive a £100-valued winter warmer self-care pack consisting of items such as a food voucher, a blanket, socks and hand warmers. These will be assigned with priority given to vulnerable and elderly people.
Celtic FC Foundation chief executive Tony Hamilton says that the club - and in particular the support - has always had a strong social conscience at its beating heart and that causes such as the fuel crisis take the club back to its founding roots.
Hamilton said: "The two things that unite people here are football and a strong social conscience that the Celtic supporters have.
"This takes us back to who Celtic are as an organisation - one that is 135 years old this week. Those needs have evolved and shifted a wee bit but poverty is still real for a lot of people. This is why the club was founded in the first place.
"If you look at Scottish football, everybody is doing something of some description within their own communities. It is important to mention that. It is dead easy to knock Scottish football and its supporters but there are a lot of decent people who go to football and get involved in these charitable causes.
"It's the people who support the Celtic Foundation, who make donations and who have backed us who have made all of this possible. They need the recognition here.
"The reality is that Scottish football is more than just the act of playing football. There are lots of other Celtic-related charities that get support and other third sector charities benefit too - cancer charities, dementia charities - there is a whole series of good works going on by football supporters and in particular Celtic supporters behind the scenes."
One such example the Foundation cites included a Rutherglen resident struggling with the increasing strain of the cost-of-living crisis and bringing up a family in the process.
Despite living with a partner, their financial situation was hit by both rising energy costs and the stoppage of previously-guaranteed overtime.
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That in turn meant severe implications on the household budget leading to the family existing sometimes being without energy which impacted normal everyday routines like washing or having a shower in the morning.
The FBF helped provide crucial respite for the family and made them feel, in their own words, ‘normal again’.
Hamilton hopes the £400,000 donation will have a similar effect on other households.
He said: "This donation will make a huge difference as life is becoming increasingly difficult for many people in our communities, and we must do something to help alleviate that as these are worrying times for a lot of people.
"There are lots of people who are in work poverty too and it is not peculiar to a small part of the population as this is affecting people who would have been 'comfortable' not that long ago.
"The pandemic, fuel and food prices going up and the rise in inflation are all having an impact on families and households.
"Energy prices today are double what they were only a year ago and, although there’s some protection with the current price cap, that is set to rise again in April. This is effectively a week's worth of energy we are giving to people.
"The Foundation is in a position to help some people through this investment and although £400,000 is a big number for us, there are so many more individuals and families needing help that we just won’t reach.
"We would love to work with people to alleviate poverty in a more sustainable way. This has a short-term effect but I hope it will be really helpful.
"We are coming into a period of time in the winter where 60 per cent of fuel is used in one quarter between December, January and February. That is the rationale for the donation and the process."
The Celtic FC Foundation has made food and fuel poverty a main priority of its activities and was heavily involved in both across the early days of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
The harsh reality of life in the UK today is that some people are currently forced to go without heat, light and power.
In many cases that is simply because the household does not have enough money to top up their prepayment meter.
Alongside the FBF, the CFCF will be specifically targeting those who use a prepayment meter to offer immediate help.
Head of the FBF, Matthew Cole, said: “Fuel Bank is delighted to partner with Celtic FC Foundation to provide much-needed crisis energy support. Without Fuel Bank help, households risk living without heat, light and power.
“With the generous support of the Celtic FC Foundation, around 17,000 additional people will be helped this coming winter. Now more than ever before has the issue of fuel poverty been more relevant and, through this unique partnership, Celtic FC Foundation and Fuel Bank will come together to help families who otherwise would miss out.”
- The CFCF staff at Parkhead will be the initial point of contact for those seeking help. Those seeking assistance should click HERE
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