Scottish celebs have come together to help a national convenience retailer launch an initiative to keep communities smiling – and feel connected – throughout the current lockdown.
Comedian Janey Godley, Still Game’s Mark Cox and Homes under the Hammer presenter, Martel Maxwell are supporting Scotmid’s #sharingsmiles campaign, which launched this week as part of its ‘Our Communities Care’ Week which runs until 14 February 2021.
The initiative follows Scotmid’s hugely successful first lockdown #sharingsmiles campaign, which ran last year. Children across the country were encouraged to draw a picture or write a letter and send it in to Scotmid – which they did in
their droves. These were then shared with residents at more than 60 care homes in Scotland, to help residents feel more connected with the outside world, at a point in time when family visits were restricted, and feelings of loneliness and isolation were on the rise.
This time, Scotmid is asking people of all ages to share their favourite jokes and help raise a smile by showing those who remain shielding or who are finding the continued lockdown restrictions a struggle, that their communities care.
Our Communities Care Week also involves online and in-store activities to raise awareness of Scotmid’s 2021 charity partnership with Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS). Funds raised through the partnership will enable vital development and expansion of their outreach service, CHAS at Home, ensuring they can support children and families in every community across Scotland.
Still Game’s Mark Cox, said: “There has never been a more important time to come together in our local communities and support one another – and what better way to cheer each other up than by telling some jokes! Scotmid’s #sharingsmiles campaign as part of Our Communities Care week is a great way to get involved and bring a smile to people’s faces. I’m looking
forward to hearing what makes others laugh and to sharing a few of my own favourite jokes too.”
Scotmid President, Harry Cairney, said: “Scotmid is at the heart of the communities it serves and has been since it was founded more than 160 years ago.
“At the start of the first lockdown, we realised how many people were shielding in our local communities and wouldn’t be able to see their family and friends and so #SharingSmiles was born – to help cheer people up and make them feel hopeful.
“We’re excited to launch ‘Our Communities Care’ week, to encourage people of all ages to think about those that might still be shielding and to share their favourite jokes to make them laugh.”
Those looking to participate can send their jokes to lynneogg@scotmid.co.uk
