Aberdeen Gift Card - the most succesful in the UK - is part of a UK wide-drive to celebrate local heroes. Image - Aberdeen Inspired
The UK’s most successful local gift card is giving back to the community with a festive campaign that celebrates local heroes.
Launching today (October 1) and backed by the Aberdeen Gift Card, the BIG Christmas Giveback is a national competition that recognises the people and organisations making a positive impact on local communities.
The person or organisation with the most nominations in the competition will win a £1,000 Town & City Gift Card, such as the Aberdeen Gift Card, with one person who nominated them winning a £500 gift card.
With nearly £5 million generated for the Granite City’s economy since the initiative was launched by Aberdeen Inspired in November 2020, the Aberdeen Gift Card was the UK’s top selling local gift card in 2023 and 2024.
A self-service Aberdeen Gift Card kiosk – the first of its kind in Scotland – was installed at Union Square in the city in time for the busy festive sales season at the end of 2024.
Shona Bryne, project manager at Aberdeen Inspired said: “It’s almost five years since we launched the Aberdeen Gift Card, and the £5m we’ve generated in that time has gone straight back to our city, powering our economy.
“It seems fitting that we celebrate all we’ve achieved with a campaign that is also about giving back. We want to hear nominations for charities, people and organisations who are having a positive impact on our city, so we can recognise the work they do to make Aberdeen the best it can be.
Shona Byrne, project manager with Aberdeen Inspired, is urging local people to support a local organisation to win the top prize in The Great Christmas Giveback. Image - Aberdeen Inspired
“Last year, Aberdeen’s Annie Mo’s took the crown as the UK’s Favourite Local Business in a similar competition, and it would be great to see an organisation from Aberdeen win the top prize in The Great Christmas Giveback – so we encourage everyone to get nominating today and share the nominations link with their supporters and followers.”
The Aberdeen Gift Card is part of the award-winning Town & City Gift Card concept from fintech Miconex. Over 20,000 local businesses are part of Miconex’s local gift card programs around the world with over £45m spent locally through the cards.
Colin Munro, CEO of Miconex, said: “Local gift cards like the Aberdeen Gift Card are transformative, consistently giving back to people, places and communities.
“The BIG Christmas Giveback has a similar ethos. If you know a person or organisation in Aberdeen who gives back, nominate them. We’ll be sharing nomination stories as they come in, shining a light on the local heroes in our communities.”
Nominate a person or organisation in The BIG Christmas Giveback at: www.lovelocalwin.co.uk
You can find out more about Aberdeen Gift Card – including where to spend it – here.
Aberdeen's own Annie Mo's was crowned the UK's Favourite Local Business in Town & City Gift Card competition. Image - Aberdeen Inspired