charity fundraising – Page 4 – The NEN

Charity appeals to people of Edinburgh to become ‘Friends’ of NSPCC Scotland and help raise funds

The people of Edinburgh are being asked to become ‘Friends’ of NSPCC Scotland by signing up as a volunteer to help raise funds for the charity.

The children’s charity works in schools and communities across the country to protect children and prevent abuse and neglect, aiming to transform society for every childhood.

Around 90 per cent of the charity’s income comes from generous donations from the public, and its work could not continue without their help.

Last year (2022/23) the NSPCC run service, Childline, delivered 8,599 counselling sessions to children living in Scotland. The Childline bases in Aberdeen and Glasgow delivered 29,741 counselling sessions to children and young people across the UK.

The top five main concerns for children were mental and emotional health and wellbeing; family relationships; friendship issues; bullying and school/education problems.

In the same year, 70,379 children from 373 schools in Scotland took part in the NSPCC’s online Speak out Stay safe programme which teaches children how to recognise the signs of abuse and neglect and where to get help.

The NSPCC now needs to build a group of passionate volunteers in [Glasgow] they can call upon for an extra pair of hands to support at local events and initiatives.

People can also choose how they would like to get involved by creating a bespoke role for themselves related to their own hobbies and interests, and they can volunteer ‘as and when’ without the need for regular time commitments.

Sandra Jones, NSPCC Scotland Community Fundraising Manager, said: “The NSPCC couldn’t continue with its work without support from the public.

“Our amazing volunteers help us raise money and awareness of our vital work to support communities and protect children and young people.

“We need people who could spare a few hours to help at local fundraising and awareness events such as Childhood Day collections, acquiring prizes for events or assisting in-person events to make sure they run smoothly.

“This is a great opportunity to meet like-minded people and enjoy new experiences and to be part of the NSPCC and our mission to end child cruelty.”

A key role for volunteers is to share news about the charity’s work with the public, organisations and in the local community, for example on social media, to help promote a positive image of the NSPCC and let people know about upcoming fundraising events and initiatives.

The NSPCC appreciates that work, family and friends come first and, with that in mind, this role offers flexibility to fit in with your lifestyle. Volunteers only need to commit to a couple of hours a month, but if they want to do more that would be great.

Volunteers get a designated point of contact, regular newsletters, ongoing support with the right information and tools including access to training opportunities through the volunteer portal, knowledge and learning, and a discount portal.

Jacqueline Jones from Glasgow helped at a recent Childhood Day collection on Buchanan Street. She said: “I heard about the NSPCC when my six-year-old was singing the Pantosaurus song one day after school.

“I realised the song passes some vital information on to children to help protect them and their bodies and from this moment I was a big fan of the charity!

“I was a little nervous about fundraising on the street but after being paired up and given some words of wisdom from Sandra I found my flow quickly and had an amazing time. I cannot wait to do it again.”

Jodie Cullen, an Operations Analyst at Morgan Stanley, also helped at the Childhood Day collection in Glasgow, she said: “It was such an amazing day; I really enjoyed my first experience of volunteering with the NSPCC, everyone was so welcoming and in great spirits.

“The arrival of the Rock Choir was a fantastic surprise and added to the already upbeat atmosphere!”

Some examples of volunteer roles include:

Community crafts – this involves using your crafting skills whether it’s knitting or making jewellery to create items to be sold or donated to raise funds for the NSPCC. This role could include a craft group you are already a part of, setting up a new group or joining an existing group, and selling your items at craft fairs organised by others or yourself.
Cookery – use your cookery skills to produce items that can be sold or donated.
Walking groups – this could involve an existing walking group or you could set up a new one to do sponsored walks, such as climb Ben Nevis in Scotland
Auctioneer volunteer – this could involve hosting an auction and presenting items for sale, keeping track of bids and concluding sales by striking a gavel when the highest bid has been reached
Community challenge events volunteer – this would involve using your practical skills to set up a new group or join an existing one and co-ordinate local or overseas challenge events such as mountain biking through the wilds of Iceland
Christmas volunteer – you could join our Walk for Children in December or attend a Childline Merry Little Christmas Concert or help collect donations at a festive event
Community quiz co-ordinator – including organising prizes and a local venue
Book scheme co-ordinator – includes organising donations of books from the local community which can be picked up by members of the public for a donation

While volunteering is suitable for a whole range of people, the NSPCC would be particularly keen to hear from people with the following qualities and skills:

Passionate about helping young people and children
Enthusiastic and personable
Work well within a team
Great communication and social skills

If you are interested, email: sandra.jones2@nspcc.org.uk

Any adult concerned about the welfare of a child or young person can call the NSPCC helpline for free on 0808 800 5000. Children can call Childline at any time on 0800 1111 or visit childline.org.uk.

Adventurer set to break records kayaking 2000 miles in the Arctic

Edinburgh man Mark Agnew is part of an international crew kayaking across the Arctic’s Northwest Passage
Mark and his team of four will follow the route sought by Franklin’s doomed Northwest Passage voyage in 1845
Mark suffered a mental health crisis in 2018 and credits kayaking with helping him to overcome it
Mark plans to raise over £25,000 for Wilderness Foundation UK
This will be the first time the entire Northwest Passage has ever been kayaked, all the way from Baffin Bay to the Beaufort Sea

British adventurer and motivational speaker, Mark Agnew, is attempting a record-breaking Arctic voyage to kayak the 2000-mile Northwest Passage, an expedition that comes after a prolonged mental health crisis.

On July 1, Mark and a team of three others will set off from Bylot Island, Nunavut, Canada, and hope to finish 90 days later at Tuktoyaktuk, an Inuit hamlet in Canada, as they follow the historic Arctic route that links the Atlantic and the Pacific.

This will be the first time the entire route has ever been kayaked. It will also be the first time it is completed with just human power alone – no motors or sails – in any type of craft in a single summer.

Mark, who is from Edinburgh and lives in London, has been preparing for his expedition by kayaking on the Thames with the Putney Bridge Canoe Club and training with polar region expedition paddler, Jeff Allen, who has been helping him to build his stamina and hone his kayaking skills at sea. Yoga is also an important aspect of Mark’s training and helps him prevent injuries.

Mark attempted to set the world record for rowing across the Atlantic twice, but didn’t successfully cross the ocean, let alone set a world record.

After two failed attempts to row across the Atlantic, Mark suffered a mental health spiral, with the devastation of failure making him feel worthless and unmotivated.

After 12 months of feeling wretched, Mark researched resilience and realised that it can be trained and learned, so he began to set himself challenges and gradually his mindset began to change.

Mark explained, “After failing to row the Atlantic twice, I felt utterly worthless. I was overcome with feelings of humiliation and failure. It began to seep into every aspect of my life, and I became lethargic. I wasn’t clinically depressed but the feeling of being pathetic became overwhelming.

“Eventually, I decided I needed to drag myself out of my hole by going on adventures again. I realised I had to focus on the experience and not the outcome. I began to focus on camaraderie, discovery of beautiful landscapes and being at one with nature and not just on the aspect of winning or of gaining the world record.

“That said, I’m still motivated by the world first. In the Northwest Passage, pushing ourselves as a team for the common goal of the world first is important to facilitate our camaraderie and experience. These intrinsic goals are far more fulfilling than focusing on a single outcome.”

Mark hopes to raise over £25,000 for Wilderness Foundation UK, a charity offering education and therapy programmes for young people and adults to help them reconnect to society and to themselves through outdoor facilitation adventures, therapy and mentoring.

Mark said, “Getting out into nature and exercising was fundamental to re-finding my self-worth.

“I’ve been lucky my whole life to be able to get into nature. Wilderness Foundation UK helps countless people, particularly people from backgrounds that might not typically have easy access to the outdoors, re-connect to nature and feel empowered through their experience.”

The route Mark and his team will follow is the same route sought by the British Arctic exploration voyage led by Sir John Franklin in 1845 aboard two ships, the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. The expedition met with disaster as both ships became icebound and the crew of 129 men was lost. Mark’s team may even pass directly over the wreck of HMS Terror.

Now, 178 years later, the Arctic’s ice conditions have changed with the region at the forefront of global warming, making this world first only possible as the sea ice melts and disappears.

Mark continued, “This is really the ‘voyage that shouldn’t happen’. One hundred years ago the Northwest Passage would have been frozen almost all year-round, but now we are going to be able to kayak the 2000 miles in a single season – a rather devastating example of how much climate change has affected the planet.”

Mark will be joined on the expedition by three Americans – expedition leader West Hansen, Jeff Wueste and Eileen Visser. The team will each consume between 4,000 to 6,000 calories per day and re-supply halfway in Cambridge Bay. Each night they will camp on shore. They will set up a tripwire to let off a bang if they are approached by polar bears as they sleep.

Wilderness Foundation UK’s CEO Jo Roberts, said, “Wilderness Foundation UK has a history of patrons who have been iconic explorers and adventurers.

“Mark is no different to them in the challenges and hardships they endured and survived. His passion to challenge himself and the ocean links him to the greats of this world. By taking on the Northwest Passage, paddling into an unknown both within himself and the environment, he will be inspiring others to face their fears and embrace their inner strengths.

“As a charity we work with children, teens and adults whose fears hold them back from trying, failing and succeeding – and they get stuck.

“Mark will be setting them an example of what it looks like to give life ‘a go’ and we will be following his paddle strokes and courage as he braves one of the most challenging and magnificent passages.

“Please follow and support him on his journey as he supports others who will undoubtedly take inspiration from his spirit of adventure.”

The expedition can be followed online and with updates on social media at https://www.thearcticcowboys.com and @adventureagnew on Twitter and Instagram.

To donate to Mark’s cause for Wilderness Foundation UK please visit:

https://rb.gy/fufog

Letters: Take on Great North Run challenge for the Stroke Association

Dear Editor

I was honoured and humbled to be given the opportunity to work on Marlon’s stroke journey. It was a complete eye opener into the world of a stroke survivor and I will always be in debt to the Stroke Association and the two amazing stroke survivors who helped show what having a stroke is really like for the 10,000 people who have a stroke every year in Scotland.

There’s 128,000 stroke survivors in Scotland, and it is still the leading cause of adult disability. Many people don’t realise that the vast majority of strokes – around 80-90% in fact – are preventable. Stroke is still chronically misunderstood by the public and underfunded in terms of research, which is incredible when you consider those stats.

That’s why I’m asking everyone to get involved in this year’s Great North Run for the Stroke Association

This famous event takes place on Sunday 10 September and although the general ballot is closed, the Stroke Association still has charity places available!

Stroke strikes every five minutes in the UK and it changes lives in an instant. However, with our support, the Stroke Association can help more stroke survivors and their families rebuild their lives after stroke.

For more information and to apply for your place, visit www.stroke.org.uk/events/sporting-fundraising/greatnorthrun

Thank you,

Mark Charnock

Over £11,000 raised for Pancreatic Cancer Action in memory of Frank McGarvey

Glasgow locals and Celtic supporters came together on Friday 17thMarch 2023 to remember and celebrate the life of football legend Frank McGarvey, raising £11,050 for Pancreatic Cancer Action.

Frank’s close friend Bernie Vallely, who runs ‘Fitba Greats’, teamed up with Robert and Mary from Elders Bar in Tollcross to organise a special St Patrick’s Day gathering. They wanted to create a memorable evening that would honour Frank’s legacy whilst also supporting a worthy cause.

Tickets for the event sold out in record time, with family, friends, and fans of Frank all eager to show their support. Ninety guests attended the evening, which was hosted by Tommy Sheridan, another of Frank’s close friends. Former Celtic Football players Tosh McKinlay and Joe Miller were also in attendance, sharing football memories and stories.

Guests were provided with an opportunity to win a raffle prize of a framed Celtic Football Club shirt, signed by the squad and a very kind guest then offered a very generous donation for a second version to be sourced by ‘Fitba Greats’.

The auction was the main driver of achieving such a fantastic total, with exclusive prizes creating a bidding battle across the packed room!

Prizes included:

Signed framed print of Frank McGarvey
Framed Bertie Ault print
Framed Danny McGrain signed shirt.
Framed Lisbon Lions print signed by 8 Lions.
Framed & signed Celtic double winners’ shirt – Ange’s first season.
1985 Cup Final Shirt signed by the scorer of the winning goal – Frank McGarvey
Signed by the Boss Ange signed shirt.
Framed & signed Jersey – Captain Callum McGregor

Franks’ son Sean also brought along an additional prize of a signed Celtic shirt kindly donated by Celtic CEO Michael Nicholson.

Fiona Brown, Scottish Development Manager for Pancreatic Cancer Action, said: “I was privileged to meet Frank and his family last year, and it has been heart-warming to see the incredible outpouring of support from across the football community.

“It was lovely to hear people share memories of Frank event, and a wonderful video played on the night showcasing some of Frank’s many footballing highlights certainly triggered a few tears!

“We are very grateful to everyone involved in making the event such a huge success, raising a phenomenal amount of money, and indeed helping raise awareness of pancreatic cancer.”

Bernie Vallely, who runs ‘Fitba Greats’, said: “This was a real team effort, and we are all hopeful that raising the funds we did will massively help Fiona and her team.

“I’m glad we could celebrate Franks’ 67th birthday in such a positive way. Everyone played their part, and a great night was had.”

Jennifer Kane (Frank McGarvey’s daughter) said: “I was so flat on St Patrick’s Day with it being my dad’s birthday and have been missing him so much, but I got such a lift from people’s generosity and stories.

“My dad was so lucky to have pals like Bernie, Robert and Tommy and everyone coming together to raise that much money for a charity now so close to my heart is unbelievable, I know my dad will want us to continue to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer, it was an amazing night my dad would have loved it. I can’t wait for next years!”

For Celtic supporters, 67 represents a special number, and this fundraiser was a fitting way to remember and celebrate Frank McGarvey’s life. It’s heart-warming to see how the Glasgow community has come together to support this cause, and we hope that this event will help raise awareness and support for pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is the 5th most common cause of cancer death in the UK, with over 10,000 people diagnosed each year. Early diagnosis is crucial for improving survival rates, yet under 8% of those diagnosed will survive for five years or more.

Pancreatic Cancer Action is dedicated to raising awareness of the disease and funding research into early detection and treatment. To find out more about their work, visit their website at www.panact.org

Edinburgh, Raise Some Dough and entertain the kids this Easter

Bake Off’s Giuseppe Dell’Anno and school feeding charity Mary’s Meals have the perfect recipe for holiday family fun

Looking for a way to entertain the kids this Easter? School feeding charity Mary’s Meals and Great British Bake Off star, Giuseppe Dell’Anno have the perfect idea! They are calling on people in Edinburgh to hold a bake sale and Raise Some Dough for hungry children this Easter.

Mary’s Meals serves nutritious school meals in 18 of the world’s poorest countries – including Malawi, Syria and Haiti. The promise of food attracts children into the classroom, where they can gain an education and hope for the future.

Giuseppe, Great British Bake Off winner in 2021, says: “Mary’s Meals tackles two major needs for kids’ welfare at once: nutrition and education. Many of us take things like school and food for granted, but there are places in the world where they are completely out of reach.

“A bake sale is a great way to have fun in the Easter holidays and raise funds to help this incredible charity reach the next child waiting for Mary’s Meals.

“You’d be surprised how far a very simple biscuit, baked with your cupboard essentials, can go. Especially if shared with a smile! I hope you’ll join me to Raise Some Dough this Easter for hungry children!”

People in Edinburgh can download a free fundraising pack from the charity’s website, which includes a recipe book packed full of tasty biscuit recipes from some of the UK’s favourite celebrities – including Giuseppe, Stephen Fry, Dame Joanna Lumley and Strictly Come Dancing star Ellie Taylor.

The charity will even send bakers a special mug-shaped cookie cutter, based on the mugs from which many children eat their daily serving of Mary’s Meals.

Dan McNally, head of grassroots engagement at Mary’s Meals, says: “If you’re looking for something to keep the family entertained this Easter, our Raise Some Dough fundraising pack has everything you ‘knead’ to hold a bake sale for friends and family and raise funds for children in some of the world’s poorest communities.

“It doesn’t matter whether you’re a star baker like Giuseppe, or a budding baker – we’d love for you to get involved and help us reach more hungry children with Mary’s Meals.”

To order your free Raise Some Dough fundraising pack, please visit:

marysmeals.org.uk/raise

Amazon Bathgate team shares joy of Red Nose Day

The team from Amazon in Bathgate shared laughs on site last week to raise awareness and funds for Comic Relief in the run-up to Red Nose Day on 17^th March.

Comic Relief was founded in 1985 by the scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Sir Lenny Henry. The charity funds and partners with organisations who support people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and tackle issues such as homelessness, mental health problems and food poverty in the UK and around the world. Every year, the charity hosts a nationwide fundraising campaign called Red Nose Day.

Amazon is the new, exclusive home of the new Red Nose, created by legendary designer Sir Jony Ive. Made almost entirely from plant-based materials, the Red Nose starts as a tiny, flat crescent and springs into a beautiful honeycomb-paper sphere. With every Red Nose bought, supporters are helping people through the toughest times of their lives as 100% of all profits go directly to Comic Relief.

Colleagues at the sortation centre in Bathgate took part in a week-long series of activities in the lead up to Red Nose Day 2023 (17^th March). Events included a village-themed party with games such as go kart racing, wooden ring toss and darts, with the aim of raising awareness of the work of Comic Relief.

The team also donated £1,000 to Ponies Help Children to boost a local cause whose focus is in keeping with Comic Relief’s objectives.

Throughout the week, Amazon employees were encouraged to snap photos of themselves wearing Red Noses in a virtual photobooth, with £1 donated to Comic Relief for every picture taken.

Speaking on the activities on site, Gary Reid, Site Leader of Amazon in Bathgate, said: “Delivering Red Noses is just one of the ways our team is supporting Comic Relief this year.

“We’ve had so much fun getting together and helping to support the remarkable work Comic Relief does through our fundraising efforts. We are also pleased to donate £1,000 to Ponies Help Children to boost those working to help people struggling in their community.”

Gary Reid, from Amazon in Bathgate who took part in the activities, added: “I loved having a laugh with the team here in Bathgate in the lead up to Red Nose Day.

“Whether it was through a virtual photobooth or wooden ring toss, we had a lot of fun together raising awareness and funds for the many causes the charity supports.”

Samir Patel, CEO of Comic Relief, said: “Ever since we first created the Red Nose in 1988, it has always been a way of showing people how even the smallest of things can make a huge difference.

“We know times are difficult right now, but millions of people across the UK and around the world need our support. If we all come together and do what we can, like buy a Red Nose, we can make real change happen.

“We are hugely grateful to all Amazon colleagues and customers who are able to support this year’s Red Nose Day. Together we can be there for people going through the toughest times of their lives.”

Since November 2022, Amazon has donated £1.8 million as part of its support to Comic Relief and its employees up and down the country have been taking part in weird and wonderful fundraising activities, helping to raise even more money for Red Nose Day.

To read more about Amazon’s partnership with Comic Relief visit:

https://www.aboutamazon.co.uk/news/company-news/amazon-is-the-new-home-of-comic-reliefs-iconic-red-nose.

Renaissance residents show they care at Christmas

Two Edinburgh care homes have helped spread some Christmas cheer with a special charity donation.

The residents and staff of Letham Park and Mathieson House residential care homes on Ferry Road Edinburgh, operated by Renaissance Care, held a festive raffle to raise £350 for local homeless people as their way of giving back to the local community.

The money will be donated to Social Bite’s Festival of Kindness campaign, which uses funds raised to offer support to homeless people, such as accommodation for the night or a hot Christmas meal.

Up for grabs in the raffle was a Christmas hamper filled with specially designed glassware, coffee cups and special festive crafts, which were all handmade by Kevin Dignall, Deputy Manager at Mathieson Care Home.

Kevin said: “I had made things like that before for staff or families at the home and I just wanted to make a nice hamper for Christmas to raffle off as a prize.

“The residents are always keen to stay connected to their local community and it’s a tough enough time for lots of people at this time of year, so everyone felt it was only fitting to try to help some of the most vulnerable people in the community.

“It was all great fun, and we drew the raffle on the same day as our Christmas fayre, so we had music going, singing and Santa made an appearance as well.”

Social Bite Executive Director Founder, Josh Littlejohn MBE, said: “We’re very thankful to the residents at Renaissance Care for their donation to our Festival of Kindness.

“Acts of kindness like this are needed more so now than ever before and make a huge difference to those who need it most.

“The money they’ve raised through the various raffle events will go towards ensuring vulnerable people have delicious food, gifts and company this festive period.”

Rob Wainwright: Doing it for Doddie

A volunteer on-call firefighter and former rugby player has vowed to keep Doddie Weir’s fundraising legacy alive to help find a cure for Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

Rob Wainwright is a farmer on the Island on Coll who helps to protect his local community in his role supporting the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. He’s also a former Scottish rugby captain, British and Irish Lion, and teammate of rugby legend Doddie Weir.

Three years ago, Rob founded Doddie Aid. To date, the mass participation event has raised around £2m for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, with the Foundation itself ploughing around £8m into MND research in the last five years.

Rob and Doddie remained close after their days on the field finished. Sadly, Doddie passed away last month following a battle with MND.

Rob said: “We are going through a period of sadness, but Doddie would not want us moping about. He would want us getting on with it – fundraising and trying to find a cure – and that’s what we will do.”

Rob said: “It’s a huge legacy and it’s for nothing if it doesn’t continue. It falls upon us that are left to carry the flame for Doddie and carry on his determination to find breakthroughs in the science and treatment of MND. Doddie may be gone but he is still leading us and driving us onwards.”

The last time Rob saw Doddie was when Doddie made a flying visit to the Island of Coll around two months ago.

Rob said: “When you play rugby with someone you are bound together by being part of a team. Doddie was a country man, a bit like myself and we shared the same kind of humour. We just hit it off.

“He came up for a visit and it was great to see him. We had lunch at The Coll Hotel and went on a distillery tour at Ardnamurchan. He needed things like that to look forward to. That was the last time I saw him.”

When Doddie passed away tributes poured in from all around the world and Rob wasn’t surprised by the amount of love felt for Doddie.

Rob said: “He was an extremely warm character, wonderfully friendly, with the perfect blend of humour and compassion. He was just a really good people person, with a really attractive personality that people loved, and he was very giving of his time.

“There was a lot that happened behind the scenes. Doddie was introduced to people who had just been diagnosed with MND. He was able to give them guidance and he in turn got guidance from other people.”

Rob has been putting plans in place for Doddie Aid. The mass participation event starts on January 1, 2023, and anyone can sign up and set their own challenge and fundraising goals.

Doddie Aid also includes a cycling event where hundreds of cyclists will leave from Cardiff’s Millenium Stadium on Thursday February 9, to arrive at Murrayfield in Edinburgh for the Scotland v Wales Six Nations match on Saturday February 11. The 555 mile cycle will be a continuous ride throughout the 48 hours.

And next year’s event is set to be even more emotional.

Rob said: “Everything will be a lot more poignant. It’s emotional anyway – when you get tired and you’ve been at it for a day and half, you’re running out of energy, haven’t eaten properly or slept and then the amazing welcomes at some of the rugby clubs.

“This year there’s even more determination, to make it even bigger and channel that love for Doddie now that he has gone.

“I’ve set myself a target of having 50,000 people signed up to Doddie Aid and to raise £2m for MND research.”

As well as organising Doddie Aid, Rob helps to keep his local Coll community safe as a volunteer on call firefighter – a role he’s held for nearly 20 years.

His colleagues from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) have rallied to submit a cycling team for Doddie Aid. Rob’s fellow volunteer on call firefighters from the island’s fire station will be joining a 13-strong team from the SFRS East and West Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute area.

Rob will be cycling as part of a British and Irish Rugby Lions Team.

He said: “I’m wishing luck to the SFRS team. I know they’ve been in training. Winter cycling in February might sound like a stupid thing to do but it’s overcoming these challenges working as a team – it will be a very uplifting experience.”

Area Commander Joe McKay is SFRS Local Senior Officer for East and West Dunbartonshire, Argyll and Bute. He said: “We’ve seen first-hand the huge amount of effort it takes to organise Doddie Aid and we’re delighted to support Rob’s determination and importantly to support Doddie’s mission to raise money to help find a cure for MND.”

Jill Douglas, CEO, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, said: “We’re incredibly appreciative of all that the SFRS do, and to have them joining the Doddie Cup 555 ride is great!

“The ride is a gruelling challenge, but made easier knowing that each push of a pedal and mile covered takes us closer towards finding a cure to motor neuron disease.”

And that’s Rob’s goal – to keep fundraising to try to help others.

He said: “This is a call to arms. Please get involved, download the app, sign up, encourage people to join and spread the word.

“We have come a long way, but the journey needs to be pushed on. Doddie was defined not by what he did in his glory days on the rugby field, but by how he coped with his ultimate challenge, how he attacked it and the momentum he created to find solutions for MND.

“There’s lots of people out there with MND. Many of them don’t have the platform that Doddie had but he had that platform, and he used it. He had an amazing energy and determination to find a solution to this disease and to help others. He’ll keep pushing us on even though he isn’t here.

“We’ll keep funding research and hopefully there will be a breakthrough that will really make a difference for sufferers of MND. It’s what Doddie would have wanted.”

A service celebrating the life of rugby legend Doddie Weir is due to be held in the Scottish Borders today.

The former Scotland international died last month at the age of 52, six years after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).

The event takes place at Melrose Parish Church at 13:00 with anyone attending encouraged to wear tartan – a request made by Doddie Weir himself.

The service will be live streamed on Scottish Rugby’s website.

Opening date for Gordon Ramsay’s Street Burger revealed

The much-anticipated launch of Gordon Ramsay’s Street Burger restaurant in Edinburgh is due to take place on 1 December but the capital’s eager foodies can grab a sneak-peak and bite to eat when the doors open early on the 28th of November for a charity fundraising day.

The launch day will allow guests to enjoy Scotland’s first Street Burger restaurant with all proceeds going to the restaurant’s charity partner, Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus (SBH) Scotland. SBH Scotland Honorary Patron, Gordon Ramsay OBE, has also pledged to match all the proceeds from the day to ensure the charity get an extra special festive funds boost.

In a bid to further bolster the charity partnership, from the 29^th until the end of December, a £1 voluntary donation will be added to diners’ bills at Street Burger as well as the St Andrew Square restaurant, Bread Street Kitchen and Bar.

The funds raised will help SBH Scotland provide vital support to over 4,000 children, young people and adults across Scotland who are affected by the lifelong, complex conditions of spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus.

A spokesperson from Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants said: “We have been working on the launch of Gordon Ramsay’s Street Burger for a long time and we are very much looking forward to opening the doors to our first burger restaurant in Scotland.

“This special launch day gives us the opportunity to showcase our food whilst giving back to SBH Scotland and supporting all the incredible work the charity does to help families in Scotland.”

Gordon Ramsay became SBH Scotland’s first ever Honorary Patron back in 2003 when he met the organisation’s Chairperson, Dr Margo Whiteford CBE, at the Great North Run. For nearly 20 years, he has continued to support SBH Scotland through charitable donations and appearances.

Dr Margo Whiteford CBE, Chairperson of SBH Scotland, said: “Gordon Ramsay has been a great friend of SBH Scotland for nearly two decades and we remain thankful to him and his restaurant teams for such continued generosity.

“Funds raised at this time of year are crucial for the dedicated support we can provide now and for the next 12 months. As well as our personal home and hospital support, health check clinics, counselling service and groups we’ve also just extended our financial support service for families affected by the cost of living crisis. We heavily rely on fundraising to reach our annual targets and we are grateful for every pound donated.

“This festive season, we hope all diners visiting Gordon Ramsay’s Street Burger will be happy to know that every meal they have will help us continue supporting thousands of families at a time when they need it the most.”

For more information on SBH Scotland and Gordon’s festive fundraiser is so important, please visit: https://www.sbhscotland.org.uk/

Amazon Walk for Alzheimer Scotland

A group of employees from the Amazon fulfilment centre in Dunfermline recently participated in Scotland’s Memory Walk with the aim of raising money and awareness for Alzheimer Scotland.

Scotland’s Memory Walk is an annual event run by Alzheimer Scotland that encourages its supporters to unite across Scotland to walk in memory and in honour of loved ones with dementia.

The team started the fundraising walk at Edinburgh Airport, with the goal of finishing a 12-mile journey at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Dunfermline in four hours.

The team arrived at the fulfilment centre after 5 hours, raising a final total of £2,200 for Alzheimer Scotland through the walk.

Alzheimer Scotland is Scotland’s national dementia charity. They aim to ensure nobody faces dementia alone by providing support and information for people living with dementia, their carers and their families in Scotland.

The donation from Amazon will be used to deliver social and therapeutic activities across Alzheimer Scotland’s 24 Dementia Resource Centres and within the community, ensure families are supported by Dementia Advisors, fund vital dementia research and keep their 24hr Freephone Dementia Helpline (0808 808 3000) operating.

UNP – Amazon EDI4 – 44015 Memory Walk From left, John Aitken, Aoife Considine with Juno, Murray Tweddle, Bonginkosi Ndlovu and Stuart Penny.

Jamie Strain, General Manager at Amazon in Dunfermline, said: “We are so proud of the team from Amazon in Dunfermline who took part in Scotland’s Memory Walk.

“Their efforts do not go unnoticed, and they should be very pleased with the amount they raised for such an important charity.”

John Aitken, an employee at Amazon in Dunfermline who took part in the fundraising walk, added: “I am very proud to have completed the walk, especially with such a great team by my side throughout the journey.

“Alzheimer Scotland is very close to my heart so it’s great that I could lend a helping hand to support the charity.”

Sarah Cheung, Stakeholder Engagement Leader for Alzheimer Scotland, added: “On behalf of myself and the team at Alzheimer Scotland, I would like to say thank you to Amazon in Dunfermline for its kind donation.

“I would also like to extend a huge thank you and well done to the inspiring team of staff who took part in our Memory Walk – you should all be proud of your achievements.”

The donation to Alzheimer Scotland was made as part of Amazon’s programme to support the communities around its operating locations across the UK.