Tree of Kindness shows that a small gesture can make a big difference

But it was also the time of year when people in the Giffnock community and beyond heard about the Tree of Kindness at Orchardhill Church.

In Glasgow one in three children are estimated to be living in poverty – that’s over 37,000 children. Many are homeless or living in temporary accommodation and so they probably had little prospects of receiving presents at Christmas.

This is where everyone in the community took the opportunity make a real difference in the lives of people living in poverty by getting involved in a very worthwhile project.

Gift tags were attached to a tree and people were invited to take a tag and buy a gift for a young person and bring it to the church office for distribution.

It captured the enthusiasm of everyone in Orchardhill Church, organisations using its halls, people in the Giffnock community just passing by and businesses in Hillington who saw it on social media.

The response was amazing, exceeding last year’s and, because of everyone’s generosity and kindness, well over 500 children and families living in poverty received a gift this Christmas.

Working in partnership with Kind Scotland, four charities right across Glasgow – Glasgow Care Foundation, Quarriers Family Resource Centre, Family Addiction Support Services and Glasgow’s Young Persons Befriending Service – helped distribute these gifts to those most need.

You might think it was a small thing to do but YOU have made a big difference in another person’s life!