THE Thistles shopping centre has continued to support Stirling by running their charity campaign throughout 2022.

The #ThistlesHelps initiative was launched in 2021 to help the area recover from the impact of Covid and focuses on helping business around Forth Valley thrive.

This year, the centre dedicated time to help the Braehead community garden team carry out work to give the allotment a more vibrant look.

Gary Turnbull, centre director at Thistles, said: “We were delighted to get out and help with the work being done at the Braehead community garden.

“The #ThistlesHelps campaigns have been something that all of us at Thistles have loved getting involved with and we’re excited to look forward to the great work we’ve got planned for next year.”

Amongst the work carried out by the team, a digger was brought in to construct new footpaths to for the compost area and the bee house.

Daisy Muir, community garden manager at Braehead, said she was grateful to have the Thistles volunteers help with the project.

She said: “We were thrilled to have the lovely people at Thistles come and volunteer at the garden.

“The generosity from them to come out and even source a digger meant that we were able to get the footpaths implemented and improve accessibility to the compost area which we wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise.

“The garden offers a place of respite to many of the locals and the new improvements are greatly appreciated from all that visit the garden and we hope to see many more come along in the new year.”

Alongside the work at the garden, the centre has embarked on several fundraisers over the past year for various charities.

An immersive ‘around the world’ mini golf course was placed in the Thistles with donation stations set up to raise money for Scottish Sports Futures.

They also set up a partnership with children’s author Alan Windram to host a storytelling competition for primary children.

Emma Russell, from St Mary’s Episcopal Primary School, won and will have her story published this year with all proceeds going to the school’s fundraising efforts.

Altogether, the team at the Thistles raised an impressive £7,300 for various charities throughout the year.

If you have a local cause you’d like Thistles to help with, email informationdesk@stirling-thistles.co.uk with your idea.