Religious charity distributes new winter clothing around north-east
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A NORTH-EAST man has been co-ordinating the distribution of new winter clothing to local people in need as part of a mission by an international Catholic charity.
Angus Hay, who lives near Banchory, regularly works with the River Church, in Banff, to run a food bank and provide other items for those going short.
Mr Hay is active in his local Catholic church and is a member of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, a global Catholic religious lay order and charity. Its primary focus is on providing humanitarian assistance.
The Order of Malta in Great Britain runs an auxiliary organisation around the country, the Companions of the Order of Malta, a key volunteer force in delivering its charitable work.
Mr Hay is north-east co-ordinator for the network. He has overseen the distribution of 22 boxes of new clothing and toiletries to the River Church and other north-east church and community organisations including Aberdeen, Elgin and Inverness, to be handed over to those who need them.
Mr Hay said: "The Companions' mission is that of the Order of Malta: to care for society’s marginalised, inspired by our Christian charity to help those in need.
"We work with the homeless and the poor, run soup kitchens, volunteer in the order’s residential care homes (the OSJCT Trust), visit the elderly and housebound, take the disabled on pilgrimage to religious shrines, and fundraise for our projects.
"We are organised on a regional basis, with group co-ordinators in different parts of the country."
The Companions organised deliveries of items from Brompton Oratory church hall in London.
The boxes contained toiletries and winter clothing, including beanies, woollen socks, gloves, T-shirts, and many other items to help folk keep warm.
These parcels have been distributed to locations in the north-east around Christmas time every year for the last four years. The extra January collection and distribution effort was arranged as those in need of help rises amid the pandemic.
Mr Hay said: "We hope that these items will be useful for the needy and the homeless during the winter, and especially through these difficult times."
