Through this campaign, they are distributing Winter Packs, Festive Food Parcels, pantomime tickets and much more to local families over the Christmas period.

Caring for its more mature tenants, Almond HA is providing elderly and vulnerable tenants with a Winter Wellbeing visit from one of its team.

During this visit, a Winter Pack will be given to the tenant which includes handwarmers, tissues, antibacterial gel, thermal mugs, a tea towel and a luxury item. A total of 360 Winter Packs are going out to households in and around Livingston.

Up to 60 Festive Food Parcels are being delivered directly to tenants’ doors, providing them with essential groceries to help keep them going over Christmas and the New Year. Community engagement officer Barbara Boertien worked with housing officers to make up packs for tenants in need.

Local businesses contributed toward Operation: Happy Christmas, with Everwarm donating 400 packs for tissues for the Winter Packs, a handy guide including Winter Tips for tenants, as well as diluting juice, spaghetti and pasta sauce for the Festive Food Parcels.

Sidey Ltd donated £750 towards the campaign and 60 cans of soup for the Festive Food Hampers. WRB Gas Ltd and Response Building Maintenance Services Ltd also contributed a large range of food items for the Festive Food Hampers.

Almond HA secured gifts for families, including nearly 70 pantomime tickets for tenants and their families who would not otherwise be able to attend. Toys have been donated for tenants’ children through Cash for Kids Mission Christmas to ensure no child would go without this festive season.

Almond HA also created their own selection boxes for young ones during their Christmas Open House on Friday 13th December, where they also had the chance to meet Santa.

Almond HA serves a community in Craigshill, Livingston, which is in the top 5% most deprived areas in Scotland – according to the Scottish Government- commission report, The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.

According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, one in four Scottish children live in poverty – making it even more important to support families at this time of year.