A CHARITABLE children's Christmas pop-up shop is now open in Alloa for the festive season.

Helping those less fortunate, the Wee County Children's Christmas Shop - known for its “take what you need, pay what you can” ethos - officially reopened for 2016 yesterday,Thursday December 1, following two successful years of operation.

Thanks to kind donations, the shop is now full and bursting with new and pre-loved kids' toys, clothes and equipment to brighten up the holidays for youngsters and families across the county.

The shop was set up by Women for Independence (WFI) Clackmannanshire and is run by volunteers, who attended the opening event alongside representatives from local foodbanks, the offices of MP Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh and MSP Keith Brown as well as councillors.

The Bank Street pop-up store was officially opened at noon by six-year-old Roman Quinn with Santa himself in attendance.

Susan Fraser, from WFI Clacks, said: “The shop is a real community event, it only works of people from all across the county pull together to make it happen.

“In the middle of all the fun we have here today though, we mustn't lose sight of why we need to be here at all.

“There are still woefully high levels of child poverty not just here in Clacks, but across Scotland, and with Westminster austerity policies set to target the vulnerable and low waged in society still further, that doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon.

“And in an oil rich, first world country like ours, that's a scandal.

“Our friends who join us today from the foodbanks in Clacks are a testament to the fact that there are still so many right here in our local community who struggle to get by, and with 26 per cent of children right here in the county living in poverty, it falls to us all to try and do something about that.

“So here we are – doing our best to do something about that.”

Helping those less fortunate, the Wee County Children's Christmas Shop - known for its “take what you need, pay what you can” ethos - officially reopened for 2016 yesterday,Thursday December 1, following two successful years of operation.

Thanks were given to all who helped out to make it all happen again this year; Clackmannanshire Council and George Adamson for help with the premises, Stirling Fire Protection Service for lending fire extinguishers, ACE Recycling for loaning furniture and donating an enormous amount of toys, Tesco in Alloa for donations as well as Lidl and Rhona McCallum Hairdresser for their support.

Special thanks go to everyone who has donated items so far, especially the Wasps 2009 team who have been collecting toys.

This year the shop also has a fundraising page, visit gofundme.com/the-wee-county-christmas-shop.