Vikings Giving Tree: Giving back to Local Families this Christmas
With Christmas approaching, Vikings is excited to be bringing our community together to help support local individuals and families.
From Monday 2 November to Wednesday 16 December, the Vikings Giving Tree will return across all Vikings venues, inviting members and guests to donate essential pantry items in support of Gordon Community Centre and its Lanyon Community Pantry.
For many local families, the festive season can bring additional financial pressures, making access to everyday essentials even more important. In the first week of December 2025 alone, the Lanyon Community Pantry provided essential support to more than 77 households, highlighting the important role the Pantry plays in supporting local families.
Supporting Our Community When It Matters Most
Gordon Community Centre provides a range of community, wellbeing and support services, including the Lanyon Community Pantry, which offers emergency food relief and personal care essentials to individuals and families experiencing hardship.
December is one of the Centre's busiest times of the year, with demand for everyday necessities increasing throughout the festive season.
Keeping the Pantry stocked with everyday essentials helps Gordon Community Centre continue providing this important service to local families when they need it most.
Every Donation Makes a Difference
If you're able to contribute to this year's Giving Tree, we'd love for you to get involved. Every donation, big or small, can help make a difference to local individuals and families.
Gordon Community Centre has identified a range of everyday essentials that are particularly helpful for keeping the Lanyon Community Pantry stocked, including:
Pantry staples: Rice, pasta, pasta sauce, cooking oil and instant noodles.
Canned goods: Tinned vegetables, fruit, tuna, soup and legumes.
Breakfast and lunchbox items: Long-life milk, cereal, spreads, dried fruit and nut-free snack bars.
Personal care and household essentials: Toothpaste, soap, shampoo, toilet paper and laundry powder.
Baby essentials: Nappies, baby wipes and baby food.
Giving Tree Collection Details
When: Monday 2 November – Wednesday 16 December 2026
Where: Find the Giving Tree in the reception area of your local Vikings venue.
What to donate: Essential pantry items, toiletries and household necessities. Please ensure all donations are unwrapped and unopened.
Working Together For Our Local Community
Last year's Giving Tree saw Vikings members and guests contribute more than 12 crates of essential groceries, which were delivered to Gordon Community Centre to help stock the Lanyon Community Pantry during its busiest period.
Gordon Community Centre Coordinator, Rose Flintoft, highlighted the importance of the partnership in supporting local individuals and families facing financial pressures this Christmas, sharing that “every gift is more than a donation. It's a reminder that our community cares.”
Rose also shared a touching example of how community generosity helped one local family celebrate Christmas together.
“Last Christmas, one local father shared how the support he received, including groceries, festive treats and gift cards, made it possible for him to host Christmas lunch for his daughters. He told us how excited the girls were and how special it was to celebrate together as a family.”
We're proud to continue our partnership with Gordon Community Centre and look forward to seeing what we can achieve together this Christmas.
Learn More about Gordon Community Centre
Gordon Community Centre welcomes financial donations and essential pantry items throughout the year, helping ensure local individuals and families can access support beyond the festive season.
Opening hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10am–3pm
Location: 110 Lewis Luxton Avenue, Gordon
To find out more about Gordon Community Centre and how you can support, click below.