A TULLIBODY hairdresser has been blown away by the generosity shown by the community in an effort to give less fortunate kids a better Christmas this year.

Colleen Hislop and Lorraine Jack, co-owners of Goodfellas barbers in Tullibody's Tron Court, have once again collected donations for the KidsOut charity's Giving Tree appeal.

Kids write what they would like for Christmas on a card and they were placed on a tree in the shop. Customers then come and take a card and return with a donation.

Last year, the shop collected 500 presents; however, this year Colleen believes they've tripled that total.

She told the Advertiser: "The response has been absolutely amazing. Due to Covid, we didn't think we were going to get to do it this year, but we were determined to do so.

"The community's been amazing. I think we done over 500 last year and there's definitely been a lot more than that."

Not only were the gifts being received from the local area, they were coming in from as far as Falkirk.

With Lorraine living in Falkirk, word clearly spread and parcels were being delivered and filling up the barbershop floor, while some people weren't just taking one gift tag, they were taking up to 12 at a time.

With so many gifts waiting to be picked up, it meant a double trip was required.

Colleen continued: "The guy from the charity came through [last week] to deliver it to Glasgow and he actually had to do two runs in the transit van.

"It just shows everyone can pull together when needed."

Mairiona McInally-Keir, chief ambassador Scotland for KidsOut, was delighted with the contribution from everyone who gave to Goodfellas' KidsOut appeal.

She told the Advertiser: "It's [for] children disadvantaged by their circumstances or their conditions, either mental or physical.

"That's what we seek to help and that's what Colleen, Lorraine and the community have been able to do.

"It means the world, especially in this particularly trying year."