Scott Begbie: It’s not enough to celebrate those who help the less fortunate – we need to support them too

Now that’s how you throw a party… with hunners of folk flocking to the city centre to Celebrate Aberdeen.

And, trust me, there is so much to celebrate

Not least, of course, the amazing people who make up the Granite City’s third sector who brought bright, vibrant energy to Union Street with a weekend parade to the applause of crowds of onlookers.

And they deserved every cheer and clap, not just for putting on a brilliant show on Saturday, but for the sheer hard work, dedication and love they show all year round to help others, lift our communities and make this such a wonderful place to live.

These charities and organisations are an army of volunteers in our midst, doing so much for so little and making such a huge difference for all of us in ways from the small and humbling to the huge and life-changing.

Thank you.

And if we needed a reminder of the good that folk do, we need look no further than Torry loon Sufian Ali who helps put the Foodbox on the streets to give hot meals to those in need.

Sufian, who is chairman and trustee of Aberdeen Muslims, had a succinct answer when asked why he and the other Foodbox volunteers pitch their gazebo outside Markies once a month to dish up 200 servings to help folks who are struggling.

“I’m lucky enough to not know what it’s like to go without a hot meal,” he said, simply. “If we can do something, we should. And so we do.”

And so a local hero is born… one we could and should all emulate.

Now, no one is wearing rose-tinted glasses here. All is not fine and dandy in Aberdeen.

There are problems, there are hardships, there are people without a decent roof over their heads living chaotic lifestyles and sometimes that chaos is spilling onto our streets. We all know that, we all see that.

These are vulnerable people who are all someone’s father, mother, daughter, son, sister, brother. The wrong turn they took is one that any of us could have ventured down. They all deserve help to get them back on their feet and off the streets.

And government at every level, from the council to Holyrood should be moving heaven and earth to make that happen in a way that gives them dignity, restores their lives and gives our city centre calm.

But until then, we can’t just look the other way. We should and could be supporting those who are already trying to help – like Foodbox.

Like the charities who waved and cheered on Saturday.

They need more than our applause and our thanks. They need our support, especially in these straightened times.

Yes, there are many collecting tins out there. But even if you choose just one to support, it can still make a difference to many lives. It might even save one.

And that really is how we celebrate Aberdeen.

Scott Begbie is a journalist and editor, as well as PR and comms manager for Aberdeen Inspired