Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) is supporting Moray Firth Radio's (MFR) Cash for Kids by donating £1,000 to its Mission Christmas appeal.
During a recent visit to SSEN's Inverness depot to learn about how the network operator prepares for winter and looks after its customers, Drew Hendry, MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey mentioned his annual Christmas card competition raising funds for MFR's official charity Cash for Kids. As Cash for Kids is a charity which SSEN's Highlands and Islands region regularly supports, the local team was keen to help in any way it could and is delighted to have sponsored this year's competition.
Local nursery and primary school children were invited to enter the competition to design the Christmas card, with Isla from Muirtown Primary School the worthy winner this year.
MFR's Mission Christmas asks local organisations and schools to collect extra presents or donate cash so the radio station can give them to disadvantaged local children who may not wake up to a present on Christmas morning. Last year, the MFR Cash for Kids team supported 6,324 children as part of the annual appeal, with the demand growing every year.
Pamela Harvey, SSEN's Customer Relationship Manager for the Highlands and Islands, said:
"We were delighted to support Drew Hendry MP's annual Christmas Card competition this year, with the donation going to a charity close to our hearts in the Inverness depot. We take part in MFR's Mission Christmas appeal every year by collecting presents at our Inverness depot, and this year we've also been volunteering our time as part of our 'Be the Difference' programme to help disadvantaged children across the Highlands,Moray and Aberdeenshirewake up on Christmas morning to a special gift from Santa."
Drew Hendry, MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, added:
"I am incredibly grateful to SSEN for sponsoring my Christmas card through this donation. Charities like MFR Cash for Kids not only bring joy to children at Christmas, they ease the pressure on parents who might have otherwise not afforded to buy gifts. These small acts of kindness go some way to shielding children from poverty at Christmas and that in itself is a very precious gift."
"In working together as a community, be it through providing free energy advice to those struggling to heat their home, volunteering or making a donation to a local charity, we can hopefully remind those who are struggling to make ends meet that they are not alone.''
As part of SSEN's, Be the Difference' programme, every SSEN employee is encouraged to take a day away from their usual job and volunteer to help local charities and community projects of their choice. Since the launch of the volunteering programme, it has helped over 2,500 projects, with SSEN employees dedicating their time to projects that matter in their local communities.
SSEN also attended Drew Hendry MP's Energy Surgery in Nairn Community Centre, providing information on SSEN's Priority Services Register, promoting the national electricity power cut number 105 and giving valuable advice to his constituents on how to be prepared for winter.
If you know of anyone who may need extra support during a power cut this winter, visit ssen.co.uk/priorityservices for more details.
For more information on Cash for Kids please visit mfr.co.uk/cashforkids.