Arnold Clark is proud to sponsor the Glasgow Times’ charity drive Bank on Us, a festive award-winning campaign that aims to save Christmas for struggling families across Glasgow.

While this time of year is considered a time for celebration, for many families it is a time of stress and worry as they struggle to balance rising costs with the financial strain that comes with the Christmas period.

Many families have to choose between buying food and keeping the heat on, with presents on Christmas day an unreachable luxury. No family should have to make such a devastating choice, and no child should be denied the joy of a happy Christmas day; that’s why Arnold Clark is offering our full support to the fantastic campaign Bank on Us.

Bank on Us has been launched to support the families that need it most and to help make Christmas a magical time for everyone.

The Herald:

Every edition of Wednesday 30th November Glasgow Times will include a special paper bag which can be filled with your choice of toy. Readers can then deposit this at their local toy bank, a list of which can be found on the Bank on Us webpage.

This simple act can have a huge impact on those who need it, with last year’s Bank on Us campaign delivering over £15,000 worth of toys – around 100,000 gifts – to vulnerable children across Glasgow. This year, they want to do even better, and with Arnold Clark’s support, they will be able to further spread their message and focus on getting help to those who need it.

Sponsoring Bank on Us is just one of the ways Arnold Clark shows its dedication to giving back to local communities. Arnold Clark has been proud to sponsor other fantastic causes such as the Kiltwalk events that are run in conjunction with the Hunter Foundation, of which Arnold Clark has proudly sponsored since 2016.

The Kiltwalk fundraising platform is an opportunity for people to raise money for charities close to their hearts, while also promoting a healthy lifestyle and spreading the good word on tartan fashion.

Kiltwalk events occur annually at cities across Scotland, including Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, and each event raises a phenomenal amount of money for the walkers’ chosen charities, which then gets boosted by The Hunter Foundation. For example, the Glasgow Kiltwalk alone raised a record-breaking £4 millions for Scottish charities – £2.7 million raised by walkers and a further £1.35 million provided by The Hunter Foundation.

The Herald:

Arnold Clark also started its own Community Fund in March 2021 to help mitigate the ill effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing important financial support to local community groups that were under threat of disappearing during lockdown. Charity and community groups were able to apply for funding from the Arnold Clark Community Fund to help sustain them when it was impossible for them to generate any revenue.

The Arnold Clark Community Fund was such a success, with over 20,000 applications for funding of up to £1,000 to dates, that further Community Fund drives were announced, including a ‘Winter Edition’ in 2021 that was specifically targeted towards food banks, housing and accommodation, and poverty relief to help those most in need during the difficult winter months.

Another way that Arnold Clark has given back to its local communities has been through the building of its Innovation Centres.

The first Arnold Clark Innovation Centre is situated in Glasgow’s West End and is a purely educational space that highlights the benefits of alternatively fuelled vehicles. With no sales on premise, visitors can explore the latest innovations in the automotive industry in a relaxed and supportive environment and discover how making the switch to electric can work for their lifestyles.

Following the success of the first Innovation Centre, Arnold Clark opened a second one at Stafford, giving the public more access to AFV innovation. And this Christmas, the Innovation Centres will be celebrating the festive season with a special event that is open to everyone.

With fun games and activities aimed for all ages, and even a very special Santa’s Grotto, we hope that everyone can make their way to the Innovation Centre Christmas Experience.

Please take part the wonderful Bank on Us campaign, spread the word, and help make Christmas the best day of the year for everyone.