There’s Snow Place Like Home

There’s Snow Place Like Home

Start Up Stirling’s Christmas Appeal 2026

17th November - 24th December

Your home should be your castle. It should be your sanctuary, haven and happy place. Somewhere to enjoy the festive build up and have everything you need in order to do so. Contentment is warmth on a cold night and food in the cupboards, knowing you're safe at home. However, the basics of food and warmth aren’t a given for everyone.  

Each Christmas, Start Up Stirling supports around 500 people with Christmas dinners and food packs. In 2026, our food donations have dropped significantly due to the cost of living crisis, meaning that we have to buy more food to support people in financial hardship and food insecurity living in our communities. It could be your neighbours, family, or work colleague that needs our help. Hardship can happen to anyone, and financial situations can change very quickly.

Here is how you can help to make a difference this Christmas

Stirling’s Biggest Christmas Card

Are you fed up with Christmas card writer’s cramp? Why not make life easy this year to send good wishes to your friends and family, by signing our giant 6 foot Christmas card this December? Make a donation to help us and make your life easier! The card will be at our warehouse on the 2nd December, and it will be on tour throughout December, so watch out for posts on our socials, to see where it will be each day. 

Make a financial donation. 

Help Santa to provide satsumas for Christmas stockings, fresh fruit, vegetables and Christmas dinners! Every donation makes a difference to people living in hardship throughout the Stirling area.

Go to the bottom of this page and make a donation. A donation of £10 will provide a 3 course Christmas lunch for someone who is accessing our Crisis Food Service this Winter.  

Make a food donation

More than ever this Christmas, we need your support to help to build up our food reserves for the cold Winter months ahead, when the demand for our Foodbanks and Community Hubs are at their highest.

Here are the items that we need most right now, but we would be happy to accept any canned or dried foods to help fill our warehouse.  

Please leave a donation at one of our donation stations throughout the area, or visit our warehouse at 16B Whitehouse Rd, Stirling, FK7 7SP.  Opening hours are: Tuesday-Thursday, 9am -3pm and Friday 9am until 1pm. 

We would appreciate any donations of Christmas food items (i.e. mince pies, selection boxes, pannetone) to be with us at our warehouse by Tuesday 15th December to ensure they are delivered before Christmas. 

Where to find our Giving Trees

Highland Gate - from 1st November - 6th December

Visit Highland Gate Stirling by Marston's Inns for a tasty treat, pick up a gift tag of your choice, purchase the gift on it and return the gift to them. 

Thistle Centre - from 21st November - 24th December

Our Giving Tree will be situated in the Kings Mall. Choose a tag of your choice and leave your gift in the donation box below the tree, or in our donation station in the centre. 

Stirling University Innovation Centre/Kip McGrath - from 17th November - 10th December

If you work or study within the Stirling University campus, you can leave a donation under the Christmas tree, or choose a gift tag from the tree to make someone’s Christmas special. 

Toys

If you would like to donate a toy, please donate directly to the warehouse by no later than Friday 11th December. This allows Mrs Claus time to distribute them at the Food banks and Community Hubs before Christmas. 

Fundraising Events

2nd December - Central FM will be partnering with Start Up Stirling to support our Christmas Appeal again this year. The Breakfast Show with Brad and Shaz will be live at the Start Up Stirling warehouse from 6.30am until 10am. Come along with a food donation, or sign our massive card, and you may just be interviewed on Central FM! 

10th and 11th December - Tesco Stirling Superstore will be holding their final food donation drive for 2026 on the 10th and 11th December. Come along and say “Hello Ho!Ho!” and leave us a donation from our shopping list. 

Corporate Support 

This Christmas, why not make a donation to Start Up Stirling instead of sending Christmas cards to clients, make us your Charity Of The Year, or host a food donation station?

If you would like more information about the services we provide or our Appeal, please phone 01786 561027, or contact us.

Have a great Christmas, and thank you for your support in 2026.


If you're unsure about how much to donate, here's a list of common items and services we need to fund. Select what you'd like to contribute.