A ‘tree of kindness’ has been set up in Dundee’s City Square to help provide 300,000 meals and gifts for homeless people.
The 28ft tall tree has been set up by charity Social Bite and aims to encourage people to buy an extra gift whilst out Christmas shopping and leave it under the tree.
The tree at City Square will be open Monday to Sunday during the following hours:
- Monday-Wednesday: 12pm until 4pm
- Thursday-Saturday: 11am until 7pm
- Sunday: 11am until 6pm.
People can also donate a ‘virtual gift’ online including a Christmas dinner or emergency winter food pack.
Dundonians asked to support Tree of Kindness
This year will be the second time the ‘tree of kindness’ has been erected in Dundee and the city is among five across the UK included in the initiative.
Josh Littlejohn MBE, Social Bite co-founder and executive director, said: “Your kindness is needed now more than ever.
“The economic challenges and inflation facing the country this year means that homeless people face a very bleak winter.”
He added: “Millions of people will be forced to choose between heating and eating and this Christmas and tens of thousands of people all over the UK will spend the festive period on the streets – cold, hungry and lonely, without a family to go to.
“That’s why we are asking people living in Dundee to support our Festival of Kindness campaign by inviting them to be kind and buy or donate a little extra to help those who need it most – even the smallest of gifts will make a huge difference.”
What can be donated?
Social Bite has put together a suggested wish list of items that can be donated which includes gloves and hats, blankets, sleeping bags and thermos flasks.
All gifts should be new and unwrapped.
Donated items will be placed in weather-proof boxes and collected each evening to be distributed to homeless people in time for Christmas.
A full list of the suggested items can be found here.
Last year’s festival of kindness campaign resulted in more than 250,000 Christmas meals, food packs, gifts, and essential items for people affected by homelessness and food poverty.
Conversation