Airdrie striker Iain Russell was on hand recently to help our good friends at St Andrews Hospice launch a football tournament aimed at helping raise the £9 million needed for their ‘Nine4thirty’ appeal, which will see the Airdrie centre refurbished in its 30th year.

Building work at the hospice is due to begin in January, as the Henderson Street site undergoes a massive renovation which will see patients and clinical staff decanting to Wester Moffat Hospital for 14 months while works are completed. While the exterior of the hospice will remain the same, the interior will see capacity increased with more single bedded rooms to accompany its multi-occupancy rooms – some of which will also offer overnight accommodation for loved ones visiting friends and family.

Iain is hoping to encourage Airdrie fans to take part in their Festive Fives fundraiser, taking place on 8th December at Soccerworld in Easterhouse, where the entry fee for a team of eight is £299, which includes entry to the tournament, prizes, and a festive party after the event. Full details of the event can be found at www.st-andrews-hospice.com or by phoning the hospice on 01236 772048.

Donations can also be made by texting ‘NINE30£5’ to 70070, and staff from the hospice will be at the match on Saturday collecting any spare change you can offer.

Meanwhile, club supporters Town Centre Activities have asked us to inform fans of this years’ festive light switch on in the town centre, this Friday at 3:30pm. Get your dancing shoes on and join Santa as he does the Slosh across North Lanarkshire. He's supporting the British Transplant Games coming to North Lanarkshire next year and wants you to help him Slosh to raise awareness of the NHS Organ Donor Register....hopefully Airdrie will be the best sloshing town in Lanarkshire! Edward Reid will be hosting a variety of entertainment, including our very own Dance Fusion alongside an Elton John tribute act all before the all-important Christmas Lights Switch On. And don't forget to pop into Santa's Grotto to visit Santa and post your letter! For information about everything going on in the town, please visit www.facebook.com/INAirdrie

Both the above are community causes at the heartbeat of our town, and we are delighted as a club to be able to help promote awareness.