Over the past two years Daniel K (S4) has been volunteering for local charity Abernecessities to help provide bare necessities to children and families in need across the North-east. 

After learning that the charity received a 900% increase in applications during the lockdowns of the pandemic, Daniel decided to fundraise and collect supplies to donate to help the cause. 

With a plan to fundraise by selling advent calendars donated by local supermarkets, Daniel wrote letters to seven supermarkets to help with his cause. Due to delivery shortages, many of the businesses were unable to help, however Daniel continued to get in touch with shops and in the end accumulated a stock of advent calendars from four different Tesco stores and 100 children’s backpacks from Costco.

Prior to his mission, Daniel volunteers for the charity every week by washing the donations of clothing and shoes which he then gives back to Abernecessities to distribute to those most in need. He also created a special video last Christmas to help raise awareness of the charity. 

Daniel shared: “As well as continuing my weekly washing, this year I wanted to do something to help Abernecessities raise funds. 

“The sale of advent calendars is going really well and friends have been so supportive. Some of the local supermarket Community Champions have been so amazingly helpful, and thought of other ways to help when advent calendar supplies were limited.

“The Community Champions at Tesco Ellon put together a fantastic chocolate hamper for me to raffle and I’ve also managed to secure a slot to do a bucket collection at Morrison’s in December.”

Daniel still has a choice of Dairy Milk, Malteser, Milky Bar or Galaxy advent calendars available for £5 each, with all funds raised going to Abernecessities. If any pupils would like to support Daniel's fundraising efforts you can contact him via school email.