One Scots child in poverty is a child too many - What you can do to help our kids this Christmas

hospitalised for over a year after contracting a disease while travelling, has made it home in time for Christmas. When Mekala Osbourne was diagnosed with bronchial pneumonia in Vietnam, she only given a five per cent chance of survival.

East Kilbride schoolgirl hopes to draw a line under a ‘gloomy’ 2020 after winning Nicola Sturgeon’s festive card competition.Sophie Blackett was one of 700 children across Scotland to submit artwork for the First Minister’s official Christmas card this year.Nicola Sturgeon was on the hunt for a design that “represents kindness” for the 2020 card.The 10-year-old's design celebrated the hard graft Scots citizens have put in to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus across the country.Her

Christmas presents. The Fin Room in Motherwell broke the news of the raid - which netted 15 tortoises, three geckos and two orchid mantises - on social media.

'scumbag' thief who robbed a Christmas present from the doorstep of a Scots home has been caught on camera.Shocking video footage shows the heartless grinch brazenly walk up to the front door of the residential home in Lasswade, Midlothian.The hooded criminal then snatches the box from the door and walks off out of the garden.But they have been caught on camera and now raging family members are wanting the person 'named and shamed'.Gary McCormack said the raid had happened at his mum's house and

Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter.Kindness was on display across the generations in Renfrewshire this week as more than 3,000 Christmas cards made by the region's youngsters were handed out to care home residents and pensioners.After a tough year, children were able to deliver some festive cheer as they took part in I Am Me Scotland's Christmas card competition, which was this year aimed at bringing a smile to the people the coronavirus

Christmas dinner trimming - pigs in blankets made from chippy chips. Scotty Brand has added a Scottish twist to traditional pigs in blankets by using chips instead of cocktail sausages.

pounds have been raised for a much loved Scots Big Issue seller after he was brutally attacked by youths. Former soldier Garry Buchan, who is well known for his local heroics and charity work, was robbed and severely injured during an unprovoked assault by a gang.

stab-proof clothing line in a bid to tackle knife crime attacks in the UK.  Craig Stirling, from Baillieston, has been working on the concept for four years and is set to unveil a prototype this week.  The 45-year-old father-of-two was left shaken after watching the horrific killing of soldier Lee Rigby, in London, on the news seven years ago.

Christmas. Hundreds of pounds and food were snatched during the break in at Moray Food Plus in Elgin on Sunday morning.

cancer has paid an emotional tribute to kindhearted donors helping to provide for her family when she is no longer here.Louise Colquhoun, 39, is planning what could be her last Christmas with husband John and their three sons after being given the shattering news that the cervical cancer she was diagnosed with just months ago is incurable.The accountant, from Ratho, West Lothian, is undergoing intensive treatment in the hope it will give her more time with her loved ones.And she has spoken of

Christmas trees has been lit up for the first time this year in the Highlands. The 16ft tree in Ullapool has been built using dozens of creels used for catching shellfish in the local area.It has become an annual festive tradition for the village since it was first constructed in 2016.

Covid-19 pandemic to buy sex posted almost 1600 adverts on a classifieds website in Scotland.An investigation found 43 punters looking for street prostitutes, with many hoping to take advantage of “cheap and desperate” women thrown into poverty by coronavirus.Among 1550 men offering to pay for sex were those looking for “single mums” or pregnant women impoverished by the pandemic.There were also depraved requests for “young girls”, “rape play” and “damaged” women.The adverts appeared on

Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) is calling for action as new figures show over 600,000 homes in Scotland are in fuel poverty. Scottish Government figures released on Tuesday show almost one in four, some 613,000 households in Scotland, were in fuel poverty in 2019.

SNP conference on Monday.The new £100 million winter fund for low-income households will provide those in need with cash to help “pay their fuel bills and make sure children don’t go hungry”, Sturgeon will tell the online conference.Sturgeon is announcing the fund to bridge the winter gap between the introduction of the £10 a week Scottish Child Payment for poorer families and amid criticism from Labour that her government has failed over a decade to tackle poverty in Scotland.With 230,000

Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter.Almost half of consumers are planning to cut back on Christmas spending this year, according to a poll.A survey by Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) has revealed that 45 per cent of people in Scotland are planning to splash out less this festive season than they did last year.But the research by YouGov also revealed that 16 per cent will take on debt to buy gifts, despite the coronavirus crisis squeezing

Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, just two days after Christmas Day in 2011.The fire, believed to have been caused by an electrical fault, swept through the house at around 3am as the family slept.Sheree McGill and her daughters Talia, Yasmin and Nya escaped with their lives while her other son Zac was staying with his gran.Evan was found in his bedroom at the back of the house by firefighters who braved temperatures of 1000°C to get to him.He was rushed to nearby Crosshouse Hospital but could not be

missing Scots mum have issued a desperate appeal for help to find her after she vanished from a mental health unit in Dundee. Sharon Hutchison was last seen in the Menzieshill area of the city at around 2pm on Wednesday, November 25.

parents have reacted to leaked proposals to extend the Christmas school break further into January. A two-page COSLA document details Scottish Government proposals to close schools earlier than planned and send children back a full week later on January 11, in a bid to stop the virus spreading after the five-day Christmas relaxation.

Lovehoney, Ann Summers and Lelo have been reducing the cost of some good loving - and it's really a case of how low can you go. Posh sex toy purveyors Lelo have up to 80% off bundles, as well as individual items for up to 50% off, including the powerful Siri 2 which is half price, down to £64.50, and some extremely saucy bundles - which include two devices and a lube - which have around £100 off.