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n Glasgow, George Square sparkles with colourful lights. Buchanan Street fills with street musicians singing seasonal songs. Frost and magic are in the air. It’s the same all across
Scotland. Christmas is the ultimate feel good time of year. Bosses loosen up at parties, parents become more generous to their offspring and couples get engaged and start planning the wedding. Of course, it’s the busiest time of year throughout the retail and hospitality sectors. Restaurants set up their special menus and welcome in groups both large and small for the seasonal party. Everyone seems to become warmer and more approachable. Perhaps it’s the crisp winter air or the Glühwein from the continental street market, but Glasgow’s legendary generosity and friendliness seem to notch up even further during the festive season. However, there is another side to Christmas. It is also the time of year when we become more acutely conscious of the have-nots – those who may be homeless, lonely, depressed, drug dependent, terminally ill or wondering how they are going to feed the children, never mind buy them presents. Across the world, we see the flood
of refugees, starvation and extreme weather, all making millions of vulnerable people desperate for support and somewhere safe to lay their heads. How do we respond to all the appeals for help, both abroad and here at home? Scots are statistically more likely to give to charities than their counterparts in the rest of the UK, and especially so at this time of year.
Charitable giving At Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, our members and partners make contributions, large and small, to charitable causes. Our own Deputy Chief Executive, Richard Muir, and the Chamber’s social media guru, Ross Flockhart, raised more than £3,400 for the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice when they cycled from London to Paris and the annual Glasgow Business Awards raises money for charities through its prize draw. Charities are businesses and they
need to be able to project their future incomes. Without that kind of certainty, they will be unable to put long-running programmes in place.
Charitable giving is also good business practice. The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) says one in four people are more inclined to apply for jobs with firms that have a strong
track record of supporting charities. According to research conducted
by Sustainable Brands almost 90 per cent say their job is more fulfilling when they are provided opportunities to make a positive impact on social and environmental issues. CAF runs the UK’s main payroll giving
service, Give As You Earn. A spokesperson says: “The scheme helps more than 2,700 companies and 250,000 staff to give over £74 million simply, securely and tax effectively to charity each year.” This is a win-win choice because it is
tax efficient for employees who sign up – deductions are made on taxable income – and it’s easy for small organisations to set up. Contributors can choose which charities receive their donations. With added matched – or larger – contributions from employers and the tax relief awarded, a donation of £7.80 a month could give a charity anything from £11 to £31.
Supporting all ages The Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity raises money to ensure that the babies, children and young people treated at Scotland’s largest children’s hospital receive the best possible care. Some children will visit just once for a minor injury, while others may spend many
Charitable giving can support a range of causes, from youngsters to elderly
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