Money, money, money!

THE CASH just keeps rolling in! The hospice appeal coffers have swollen by around £10,000 this week, taking the running total to an amazing £80,000. Once again, donations have come in from all over the country and from all walks of life, raised by a mix of straightforward cash collections and outrageous stunts. Young people have been doing sterling work.  The officers and girls of the 2nd Arbroath Girls’ Brigade donated two weeks’ subs money and sent us £24. Wishaw Academy took a collection at their school service and raised £71.  The children of Maidens Primary School, Ayrshire, brought in home baking, apples picked from their own trees and other produce to sell to parents and friends after their Harvest Thanksgiving service. Result — a cheque for £180. The nursery class at Polkemmet Primary in Whitburn, West Lothian, held a “Loose Change for CHAS” appeal, and raised £45. And pupils at St David’s High School in Dalkeith raised £53.50 by raffling a giant Teddy. Anne Bremner, owner of Buttons And Bows nursery school in Dundee, held an open fun day, with cake and candy stalls, face painting, a magician and bouncy castle. Anne’s nursery looks after children aged from six months to five years and raised a very respectable £202. Two anonymous donations arrived of £1000 and £600. Whoever you are, folks, thanks a lot! The workers of the world have been uniting in the cause, too. Bobby Laird of Bellshill, national sales manager for Roche Products, persuaded two female workmates to pledge cash for our appeal if they failed in their bid to stop smoking.  Hilary Kirby and Michelle Kelly failed in their challenge and the new hospice fund is £150 richer as a result. Thanks a lot girls — but please have another bash at giving up. And as ever, the older generation haven’t been backward at coming forward. Margaret and Alan O’Hara from Musselburgh raised £107 at their Ruby Wedding party by persuading the men to take part in a mannequin parade.  Sixty-year-old Margaret added another £80 at her friend Maureen Black’s wedding by performing the kind of dance it’s best to draw a veil over — but she assures us it was all done in the best possible taste! Fun week Further down the East Coast, the fun has yet to start. Last week’s mid-term break may have prompted most primary school pupils to take a well-earned holiday — but not Dunbar girls Louise Daisley (11), Alana Murray (10) and Michaela Girvan (11). They’ve spent their time off tirelessly drumming up support for our hospice appeal. The girls, who all attend Dunbar Primary School, have organised a whole week of fund-raising events in East Lothian, starting on Saturday, October 27, at 11 am. “The first event is at the Countess Youth Centre,” explains Michaela. “We’re having a table-top sale, raffle, competitions and a barbecue and we’ve also invited the local pipe band and the Kerry Swan dancers to perform. “We’ve cleared out our cupboards and have lots of toys to sell, and there will also be a cake stall and a tombola among other things. We hope to raise hundreds of pounds.” Though Saturday promises to be fun, the girls reckon the highlight of their week, which also includes a buffet-dance at the Bridge End Hotel, East Linton at 7 pm on Saturday, November 3, won’t come until Hallowe’en, at their fancy dress party. “I think we’re all looking forward to that most,” says Alana, excitedly.  “We’ve invited all our friends along and a neighbour is going to hold a sausage sizzle, too. I’m going as a witch, Michaela is going as a ghost, and Louise is going as a hippie.” “We’ve had great fun organising the events, though it’s been really hard work,” says Louise. “We’ve read the CHAS leaflets and the stories in The Sunday Post and just hope people will turn out and give as much money as they can afford to.”

You can e-mail us at: hospice@sundaypost.com