STV Children’s Appeal raises more than £1.5m during pandemic

More than £1.5m has been donated to children’s charities during the Covid-19 pandemic by the STV Children’s Appeal.

With £100,000 raised in just the last two months as part of an emergency public appeal, the children’s charities were supported to help thousands of vulnerable children and young people who have been severely impacted by coronavirus.

In partnership with the National Emergencies Trust (NET), the appeal launched an emergency campaign in April.

Televised appeals, which included appearances from Lorraine Kelly and Sean Batty, are set to draw to an end this weekend.

Phase two will focus on how charities use the donations to improve the lives of children they work with.

Simon Pitts, chief executive of STV and trustee of the STV Children’s Appeal, said: “We knew when we launched this campaign in April that our generous viewers wouldn’t hesitate in lending their support to those hit hardest by Covid-19 in Scotland.

“It’s great to see that all of the donations from the past two months, along with the other funds being distributed by the appeal, are making such a difference.

“Coronavirus continues to have a devastating impact on our local communities though, and it’s the one in four children living in poverty in Scotland who are feeling its effects more than most.

“As we move into the next phase of this campaign, we’re committed to raising more vital funds for those in need and, of course, ensuring all donations are distributed as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

One charity receiving support is Heavy Sound, a non-profit which works with young people who have experienced trauma or barriers, to help them reengage through musical projects.

However, since the pandemic, it has closed its normal projects to focus on providing food and other essential resources to youngsters in Edinburgh and East Lothian.

Jordan Butler, Heavy Sound’s founder, said: “The support we’ve received from the STV Children’s Appeal has helped us deliver more than 1,000 meals each day to young people and families who’ve found themselves in urgent need of help since this crisis began.

“Specifically, the donation from the appeal contributed to the cost of a new vehicle, which was critically important and allowed our staff and volunteers to collect and deliver the food to those who need it across the local area.”