CLAN Introduces Range Of New Groups

 Aberdeen City, Information  No Responses »
May 252017
 

With thanks to Jessica Murphy, Account Manager, Jasmine Ltd.

A leading north-east charity has introduced three new support groups for people in Aberdeen and the surrounding area.

The new support groups, introduced by CLAN Cancer Support at its CLAN House base in Aberdeen, offer tailored support for carers, men and those wishing to explore the benefits of gentle exercise.

With the aim of providing peer support for men affected by cancer, CLAN has introduced a film night for men, with the relaxed and informal group open to CLAN clients, family members, carers and friends.

Taking place on the first Tuesday of each month from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at CLAN House, it is held alongside the charity’s Carers and Supporters Wellbeing Group.

Aimed at those supporting someone who has cancer, the carers and supporters group offers help in partnership with the VSA Carers Resource Service.

Iona Mitchell, CLAN’S head of cancer support services, said:

“Each of our new groups offers friendship and peer group support in a welcoming and supportive environment.

“The response to each group has been very positive. Our Men’s Movie Night and Carers and Supporters Wellbeing group run alongside each-other and offer the opportunity for individuals, or couples, to come to CLAN House on the same night and access support appropriate for their needs in a group environment.

“The Movie Night has been introduced as an informal way for men to relax and enjoy a film, with the option of speaking to others who may be in a similar position to themselves.

“In addition, by linking up with VSA we can deliver a programme of talks and information sessions which are specific to people caring for, or supporting an individual with a cancer diagnosis, ensuring they are aware of the resources available to them and giving them the chance to speak to people who are also caring for a loved one.”

And for those wishing to find out more about the benefits of light exercise, the CLAN/Macmillan Move More walking group is a great way to enjoy some fresh air and take part in gentle exercise.

Led by a trained walker, the group meets at CLAN House weekly on a Friday at 10.30am for a one to two mile walk, returning to CLAN House for refreshments.

Iona added:

“We also now have our Move More walking group in association with Macmillan, which gives individuals the chance to speak to CLAN personnel in an easy going environment while also reinforcing the benefits that low level exercise can have on a person’s wellbeing.

“These walks are open to all CLAN clients as well as anyone affected by cancer and anybody who feels they would benefit some companionship and relaxed exercise is welcome to join us.

“We’ve found that gentle activity like this can be beneficial to those experiencing a cancer diagnosis and our group is also a great way to meet people who are perhaps dealing with similar thoughts, feelings and challenges.”

For more information about any of CLAN’s new groups, please contact Jill Sharp on 01224 647 000.

For more information on the Moving More walking group, please contact movemore@sportaberdeen.co.uk or 01224 047925.

CLAN Cancer Support is an independent charity which provides comfort, support and information, free of charge, for anyone, of any age, affected by any type of cancer. CLAN aims to support people to reduce anxiety, stress and to increase their ability to cope with the effects of a serious illness.

Based in Aberdeen, the charity covers the whole of north-east Scotland, Moray, Orkney and Shetland. CLAN has a presence in Ballater, Banchory, Elgin, Buckie, Inverurie, Fraserburgh, Lossiemouth, Peterhead, Stonehaven, Turriff, Kirkwall and Lerwick.

For more information about CLAN Cancer Support, please call (01224) 647 000 or visit www.clanhouse.org

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Urban Sports Providing Brighter Futures For Young Aberdonians

 Aberdeen City, Sport  No Responses »
May 122017
 

With thanks to Esther Green, Senior Account Executive, Tricker PR

Disengaged young people living in Aberdeen are being supported to reach their potential through a range of award-winning urban sports and culture programmes that have received a four figure boost from Aberdeen Asset Management’s Charitable Foundation.

Transition Extreme’s renowned youth projects combine its extreme sports and arts offering with essential skills and offer a spring board for disengaged and disadvantaged young people to move their lives onwards in a positive direction.

The donation from the Aberdeen Charity Committee of the global finance management company will support Transition Extreme in delivering its youth and community programmes like its Alternative, Outreach and Extreme Arts Academies.

The youth charity provides coaching in activities like BMX biking, skating, climbing wall, high ropes and art and design and adds in valuable life skills training, which helps increase confidence and motivation among young people who have become disengaged from traditional forms of education.

One of its longest running programmes, the Alternative Academy, works with 15-18 year olds that have become disconnected with mainstream education, training or employment. Working with agencies including social work, police and education, the Academy is designed to provide supports coaching which supports physical and mental health, complemented by soft skills workshops where employers provide support with essential skills like how to prepare for an interview, CV writing, applying for a job and fitting into a team.

Sam Begg (pictured above), fundraising manager for Transition Extreme said:

“Aberdeen Asset Management’s kind donation will help our youth work team deliver vital work and programmes tailored towards helping  disadvantaged and disengaged youngsters make positive life transitions.

“Our facility has a cool dynamic and buzz that appeals to young people who feel comfortable about coming here. As well as the sports side which is fun, we help deliver soft skills which helps towards future employability. People learn in different ways, not just sitting at a desk, and it’s encouraging to have young people come here and gain new skills. We practice what we preach as 25% of our workforce has joined us from these academies.”

Claire Drummond, head of charitable giving at Aberdeen Asset Management said:

“Transition Extreme is a well-known Aberdeen centre which offers a whole range of urban sports and is a real focus for the youth of the city.

“The programmes delivered by its Youth Work Teams are helping to build up self-belief and confidence among young people and offer an important part in the process towards helping them into further education, training or work.

“The support from our Aberdeen Charity Committee will help continue the good work of investing in positive life transitions for young people of Aberdeen.”

The Aberdeen Asset Charitable Foundation was established in 2012 to formalise and develop the Group’s charitable giving globally. The Foundation seeks partnerships with smaller charities around the world, where funds can be seen to have a meaningful and measurable impact and the firm encourages its employees to use their time and skills to support its charitable projects.

The main focus of the Foundation is around emerging markets and local communities, reflecting the desire to give back to those areas which are a key strategic focus of the business and to build on the historic pattern of giving to communities in which Aberdeen employees live and work. For more information visit http://www.aberdeen-asset.co.uk/aam.nsf/foundation/home

Transition Extreme is located at Aberdeen Beachfront and  its facilities are open to the public. As well as a range of training programmes for young people, it runs outreach  projects in Aberdeen communities.

More information is available from its website http://www.transition-extreme.com

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New Drop-In Sessions At CLAN Cancer Support

 Aberdeen City, Information  No Responses »
May 052017
 

With thanks to Jessica Murphy, Account Manager, Jasmine Ltd.

CLAN Cancer Support has introduced a new monthly drop-in information and support session in Aberdeen.

The leading north-east cancer charity will provide the service on the first Saturday of each month, offering free support,
information and services to anyone affected by cancer.

Taking place on Saturday May 6 between 9.30am and 1pm at CLAN House on Westburn Road, no appointment is required, with anyone interested invited to ‘drop-in’ to the centre.

A full range of CLAN services will be available throughout the morning including complementary therapies, children, teens and family support and access to CLAN’s information library. Members of staff, along with trained support volunteers, will also be on hand to assist anyone visiting CLAN for the first time.

Visitors can also talk to representatives from CLAN’s Children and Families teams, who can provide specialist advice and support to individuals and families. The drop-in session replaces the charity’s monthly coffee morning, allowing for a greater focus on information support.

Iona Mitchell, CLAN’s head of cancer support services, said:

“CLAN is committed to making its services as accessible as possible and we’re encouraging those interested in hearing how CLAN may be able to help them and their loved ones to head along to our drop-in session on Saturday.

“This will be a change from our previous weekend opening, which included a coffee morning. By opening our doors on a Saturday morning, with the focus on service provision, we aim to ensure that people who may not be able to visit a CLAN centre during the week can also access our vital support services. The sessions are open to anyone affected by cancer and are relaxed and informal.”

CLAN Cancer Support is an independent charity which provides comfort, support and information, free of charge, for anyone, of any age, affected by any type of cancer. CLAN aims to support people to reduce anxiety, stress and to increase their ability to cope with the effects of a serious illness.

Based in Aberdeen, the charity covers the whole of north-east Scotland, Moray, Orkney and Shetland. CLAN has a presence in Ballater, Banchory, Elgin, Buckie, Inverurie, Fraserburgh, Lossiemouth, Peterhead, Stonehaven, Turriff, Kirkwall and Lerwick.

For more information about CLAN Cancer Support, please call (01224) 647 000 or visit www.clanhouse.org

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Holiday Fun Delivered To Seriously Ill Youngsters

 Aberdeen City, Featured  No Responses »
May 052017
 

Holiday fun at Over The Wall’s Scottish Summer Camp last year.

With thanks to Esther Green, Senior Account Executive, Tricker PR

A charity which gives children and young people living with serious health challenges a holiday to help them discover a whole new world of possibilities is laying on an extra place for a deserving North-east youngster – thanks to the support of Aberdeen Asset Management’s Charities Foundation.

Gaining £1800 from the Aberdeen charities committee has enabled Over The Wall to provide an additional place at its 2017 Scotland camp for a seriously ill child living in Aberdeenshire.

The therapeutic recreation activity camp, for children aged 8-17 with serious and life limiting illnesses, takes place at Strathallan School in Perthshire in July.

Since 1999 many of the UK’s most seriously ill children have been able to go swimming, catch their first fish, dance in the sunshine, perform centre stage and create the memories of a lifetime with Over The Wall. The self-esteem and confidence of  campers sky-rockets as they learn that they are not combating childhood diseases alone.

The small national charity provides free residential activity camps for children and their families and through participation in a proven programme of fun-filled recreational and educational activities, the camps help promote inclusion whilst developing the confidence, self-esteem, coping strategies and peer relationships of all their campers.

The mum of a teenage boy who attended last year’s Scottish camp said of the experience:

“He had an amazing time, he returned more confident, happy and relaxed. For the first time he was able to enjoy activities and forget about his illness. I am a very happy Mum!”

Julie Foster, Trusts and Foundations Fundraiser for Over The Wall said:

“The camps enable the children to reach beyond their illness to rediscover a whole new world of possibilities and we rely on donations like this one from Aberdeen Asset Management, along with volunteer support,  to help us give children a week of experiences that are memorable, exciting, fun and empowering, in a physically safe and medically sound environment.”

Claire Drummond, head of charitable giving forAberdeen Asset Management said:

“Through the support of the Aberdeen Committee we are giving a local child the chance to attend camp, create memories for a lifetime and build their self-esteem and confidence at the same time. We are proud to be able to provide support in the local community in which we operate in this way.”

Aberdeen Asset Charitable Foundation was established in 2012 to formalise and develop the Group’s charitable giving globally. The Foundation seeks partnerships with smaller charities around the world, where funds can be seen to have a meaningful and measurable impact and the firm encourages its employees to use their time and skills to support its charitable projects.

The main focus of the Foundation is around emerging markets and local communities, reflecting the desire to give back to those areas which are a key strategic focus of the business and to build on the historic pattern of giving to communities in which Aberdeen employees live and work.

For more information visit http://www.aberdeen-asset.co.uk/aam.nsf/foundation/home

For full details of  Over The Wall visit http://www.otw.org.uk

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CLAN Lunch Raises Over £10,000

 Aberdeen City, Featured, News  No Responses »
Apr 282017
 

With thanks to Jessica Murphy, Senior Account Executive, Citrus:Mix.

Generous individuals from throughout the north-east have come together to raise more than £10,000 at a leading cancer support charity’s annual fundraising lunch.

CLAN Cancer Support welcomed 280 guests to Ardoe House Hotel and Spa last week for one of the charity’s biggest fundraising events of the year.

Star of Channel 4’s First Dates CiCi Coleman hosted the popular event, which included a prosecco reception, 2 course lunch, guest speaker, auction, raffle and a Michael Bublé tribute act.

Guests heard from Claire Fleming who spoke about her Christopher’s CLAN challenge fundraising effort in memory of her brother who died of cancer when Claire was a teenager.

Claire is bringing in funds for CLAN to help other families going through a similar experience, as she realised how much she would have valued the support of the organisation herself.

In advance of the lunch, table hosts were provided with a donation bag that they could fill with any unwanted clothes and items that could be handed over to CLAN on the day.

The donations gathered will be used to stock the charity’s busy shops on Rosemount Place and Chapel Street – with a fantastic 56 bags donated on the day.

The lunch was sponsored by BP for the eighth year, enabling every penny of the money raised to go directly to CLAN’s provision of free cancer support services across the north and north-east of Scotland.

Dr Colette Backwell, chief executive of CLAN, said:

“Year on year, our CLAN lunch continues to be generously supported by the people of the north-east and it was wonderful to see so many people there on the day.

“I took the opportunity to highlight how the funds raised from last year’s lunch have been spent on extending the geographical reach of CLAN’s service provision, development of our Children and Families Service which now supports over 350 children and their families, and CLAN Haven which, in 2016 provided accommodation on over 9250 occasions to cancer patients and their families from remote locations in the north-east attending Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for cancer treatment.

“CiCi was a fantastic host and we also appreciate Claire Fleming joining us and sharing her story with guests. We are delighted to have raised £10,000 and I would like to thank everyone who continues to back us. This support is hugely appreciated by our clients and everyone at the charity. I’d also like to extend my gratitude to BP for their continued commitment in supporting us through the event.”

CLAN Cancer Support is an independent charity which provides comfort, support and information, free of charge, for anyone, of any age, affected by any type of cancer. CLAN aims to support people to reduce anxiety, stress and to increase their ability to cope with the effects of a serious illness.

Based in Aberdeen, the charity covers the whole of north-east Scotland, Moray, Orkney and Shetland. CLAN has a presence in Ballater, Banchory, Elgin, Buckie, Inverurie, Fraserburgh, Lossiemouth, Peterhead, Stonehaven, Turriff, Kirkwall and Lerwick.

For more information about CLAN Cancer Support, please call (01224) 647 000 or visit www.clanhouse.org

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Grants To Fund Activities For Children With Disabilities

 Aberdeen City, Featured  No Responses »
Apr 202017
 

With thanks to Ian McLaren, PR account manager, Innes Associates.

Michelle Ferguson, Cash for Kids charity manager.

An Aberdeen-based children’s charity has distributed over £17,500 of funding to 24 families and community groups to improve the lives of children living in north-east Scotland.
Cash for Kids, which supports sick, disabled and disadvantaged children living in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, has made the awards as part of its quarterly grant funding programme.

The programme’s broad remit ensures the charity is able to fulfil a diverse range of applications each year, some of which are not eligible for funding from other sources.

Two of the beneficiaries in the recent funding round are the Community Resources Hub at Aboyne Academy and local charity KidsOut – both provide activities for children with physical and learning disabilities.

The Community Resources Hub at Aboyne Academy caters for children with medium to severe and complex educational needs.
Unable to participate in mainstream education, they are taught a life skills orientated curriculum that meets their individual needs. The hub has been granted over £300 to give the children a one-day sailing session at Loch of Skene with Aberdeenshire Sailing Trust.

This session will allow the children to sample a new activity and develop their self-esteem and personal and social skills.

KidsOut is a local charity run by 17 Rotary clubs based in Aberdeen and the surrounding area.

The charity has received £3,500 to help stage its annual fun day at Craibstone Estate. Last year, around 600 children with disabilities from 35 local primary schools attended the event and enjoyed a range of activities and experiences. The funding will be used to help cover the cost of transporting the children to the event in June.

Cash for Kids distributes grant funding at the end of January, April, July and October each year, with applications assessed by its board. All applications must be endorsed by a third party, such as a social worker or health visitor, and applications for the next funding round must be submitted by Wednesday, 19 April.

Last month, in order to help fulfil future applications, Cash for Kids launched a major appeal to raise £50,000. The 500 Faces campaign looks to recruit 500 people from Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire who will each commit to raise £100 for the charity by the end of December. A number of tradespeople, schoolchildren and local shops have already signed up to the initiative.

Michelle Ferguson, Cash for Kids charity manager, said:

“Cash for Kids’ quarterly grant funding programme is a central and important part of what the charity does. We look to support as diverse a range of requests as possible each quarter and encourage applications from across the region.

“All of the money Cash for Kids raises is distributed locally. It is always great to assist projects such as those run by Aboyne Academy and KidsOut that provide disabled children with fantastic new experiences that can help with their development.

“The grant programme gives families and community groups access to a source of funding that can support the purchase of items that are often not eligible for funding through other sources. For some families that can mean facilitating the purchase of specialist equipment to improve the quality of life of their sick or disabled child.”

To register to take part in Cash for Kids’ 500 Faces fundraising initiative, visit www.northsound1.com/faces.

Cash for Kids is Northsound Radio’s listeners’ charity. It makes grants to individuals, families, children’s groups, organisations and projects throughout the Northsound transmission area. All money is raised locally and spent locally to benefit local disabled and disadvantaged children and young people under 18.

More information on Cash for Kids can be found at www.northsound1.com/charity, or telephone 01224 337010.

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City Software Developers Unveil Innovative New Apps

 Aberdeen City, Articles  No Responses »
Apr 132017
 

With thanks to Gemma Setter, PR Account Executive, Frasermedia.

Seb Coles leads a team of developers creating and engineering software-based solutions.

A team of specialist software developers from a leading Aberdeen-based managed print services company recently revealed their latest support app developments at a major print management industry event.
Four in-house developers from Xeretec Scotland’s Aberdeen office travelled to Uxbridge, near London, for the Xerox Application Forum on Wednesday, 5 April.

Senior software developer, Seb Coles, announced the development of the Xeretec Support Application Suite, an on-device customer service that provides immediate, next-generation support for users of Xerox devices.

The team of developers, led by Seb Coles, specialises in creating and engineering software-based solutions that optimise the print experience for end users and spent 12 months developing the support apps.

Mr Coles said:

“I am extremely proud of my team and what we have achieved over the past year. We have dedicated a lot of time and effort to developing the Xeretec Support Application Suite, so to be able to demonstrate how it works at the Xerox Future of Work event was an incredible experience.

“The app enables Xeretec to access the printer’s health and deliver the user an unparalleled level of support immediately at the device. It was designed to simplify and speed up fault resolution, while maximising user convenience and productivity, as we are constantly aiming to bring a higher level of customer service to our clients.”

Marino Keith, operations manager at Xeretec Scotland, said:

“I would like to offer my congratulations to Seb and the software development team for continuing to create industry-leading applications that aim to improve the overall customer experience. The work they do is completely unique to the industry and differentiates Xeretec from its competitors.

“Customers today expect instant, multi-channel support when encountering a problem. With the Xeretec Support Application Suite, Xeretec has created a new era of on-device customer service that meets the need for simplified instant access to support.”

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66 Mile Cycle To Fund Incurable Disease Trust

 Aberdeen City, Featured  No Responses »
Apr 072017
 

With thanks to Eoin Smith, Senior Account Executive, Tricker PR.

Mark Milne, who will be taking part in Etape Loch Ness, to raise money for a trust set up for his son, Alfie. The youngster has a rare and incurable disease and the fund provides support to other patients with the condition.

The father of a young boy with a rare and incurable disease is saddling up and getting on his bike to
help parents around the world
whose children have also been struck down by the same debilitating condition.
Mark Milne, whose son, Alfie, is one of an estimated 250 people worldwide to have been diagnosed with lymphangiomatosis, will take on Etape Loch Ness to raise money for research into the disease and to fund patient support services.

The Alfie Milne Trust was launched by Mark and his wife, Tracy, after their son was diagnosed with lymphangiomatosis at less than a year old.

The condition leads to the formation of benign tumours of the lymphatic system which can grow anywhere in the body, and due to their massive expansion can cause severe and life-threatening complications.

Mark (48) will join thousands of other cyclists in completing a 66-mile route around the iconic loch on April 23 – and in doing so he hopes to spread the word about the condition and give patients better access to support services.

The couple from Aberdeen found it hard to get any information about the disease because it is so rare: it is thought that Alfie is one of only 250 estimated cases in the world and one of only 15 in the UK.

They want their fund-raising, which currently stands at over £200,000, will help other patients living with lymphangiomatosis by raising awareness of support services and by providing grants to medical bodies.

Mark says,

“Before we launched the Trust, I would be the one who would be standing at the finish line at sporting events, smoking a cigarette and watching everyone else do the hard work. But we’ve done lots of events to raise money since 2012 and although I am still no fitness freak, I’ve completed a couple of bike rides,10Ks and half marathons.

“I’m actually going to be doing a 10K the day before Etape Loch Ness, so I’m not sure how I will be feeling for the event. I’ve always fancied doing this one because it is so beautiful up there, and I think the fact that it is on closed roads will make it really special.”

Alfie, who is now aged nine, was a happy and healthy boy for the first eight months of his life. However, his parents noticed that one of his legs was swollen and after x-rays were carried out, doctors also identified a curve in his spine.

After an MRI scan, the family travelled to Great Ormand Street Hospital in London where the diagnosis of lymphangiomatosis was made. The disease was in Alfie’s right leg, pelvic area and in the marrow of some bones, and it was also preventing his blood from clotting.

His health rapidly deteriorated: while he was still in London he suffered internal bleeding, frequently high temperatures and had to undergo countless blood transfusions – he was so poorly that his parents and doctors feared the worst. However, he battled through and some weeks later was well enough to return to Aberdeen to undergo chemotherapy.

From there on, the family has had to watch as Alfie – who was five by the time he took his first steps – has endured numerous stays in hospital, blood transfusions, drug therapies and various treatment plans.

His leg has deteriorated and Alfie has not been able to walk unaided since 2012. However, the family hope there will be a drastic improvement in his mobility after undergoing specialist surgery at the start of the year.

Mark explains,

“Last year we learned about a procedure that could be performed on Alfie’s leg to try and straighten it, with the hope of allowing him to walk unaided.

“Surgery is always very difficult with Alfie’s condition because of the high risks of infection and lymphatic leakage, but after undergoing lots of physiotherapy to prepare him for the surgery, we went ahead with it.

“The surgery was carried out at Great Ormand Street and it went really, really well. It was a success but it’s down to Alfie now to work on the physiotherapy and battle through it to get up on his own feet. As with any condition like this, we have good days and we have bad days.

“When Alfie was diagnosed we really struggled to find out information about his condition because it is so rare. We hope that other families, regardless of where they are in the world, will be able to benefit from the work of the Alfie Milne Trust, so that getting the support they need becomes easier.”

Further details about Alfie’s Trust are available at www.alfiemilne.org.uk and donations to Mark’s fund-raising efforts can be made on uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MarkMilne  

Thousands of cyclists, many of them raising money for good causes including official charity partner Macmillan Cancer Support, are gearing up to take part in Etape Loch Ness on April 23.

Starting and finishing in Inverness, the 66-mile route follows the north side of the loch and then loops round at Fort Augustus to return via the south side. Once past Fort Augustus, cyclists face the toughest challenge of the course – a 4.8 mile climb rising to 380m in height at the Glendoe Summit.

Etape Loch Ness has grown to become one of the nation’s best loved cycling events and places this year sold out in a record 50 hours. Further information about the event is available at www.etapelochness.com and regular updates also appear on social media at facebook.com/etapelochness and @EtapeLochNess on Twitter.

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CLAN Urges Runners To Race On Their Behalf

 Aberdeen City, Charity  No Responses »
Apr 012017
 

With thanks to Jessica Murphy, Senior Account Executive, Citrus:Mix.

A north-east cancer support charity is appealing to runners to consider tackling some of the region’s most popular runs on its behalf.

CLAN Cancer Support has spaces available for this year’s Baker Hughes 10K, which will take place on Sunday May 14. The charity is also signing up participants for Run Balmoral on Saturday April 22 and Sunday April 23 and the inaugural Great Aberdeen Run on Sunday August 27.

Last year, runners came to the fore to raise money for CLAN and the charity is looking forward to being well represented at events throughout 2017.

Alastair Brookes, CLAN’s Head of Fundraising, said:

“These races are among the most popular in the north-east running calendar and we are thrilled to have places on offer for them.

“This year we will also see the first Great Aberdeen Run which is sure to be a fantastic spectacle which we are all very much looking forward to. We have spaces available for both the 10K and the half marathon for those who would like to be part of the inaugural event.

“We would appreciate the support of any member of the public who is considering taking part in either, or even all, of the events.

“The backing the charity has had from runners in the north-east has been incredible in previous years and we’re really looking to keep this momentum up this year. I’d encourage anyone interested in taking part in any of the races on behalf of CLAN to get in touch and find out more.”

For more information or to take up a place please contact CLAN’s fundraising team on 01224 647000 or email fundraising@clanhouse.org.

CLAN Cancer Support is an independent charity which provides comfort, support and information, free of charge, for anyone, of any age, affected by any type of cancer. CLAN aims to support people to reduce anxiety, stress and to increase their ability to cope with the effects of a serious illness.

Based in Aberdeen, the charity covers the whole of north-east Scotland, Moray, Orkney and Shetland. CLAN has a presence in Ballater, Banchory, Elgin, Buckie, Inverurie, Fraserburgh, Lossiemouth, Peterhead, Stonehaven, Turriff, Kirkwall and Lerwick.

For more information about CLAN Cancer Support, please call (01224) 647 000 or visit www.clanhouse.org

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City Pub Regulars Raise Thousands For Children’s Charity

 Aberdeen City, Charity  No Responses »
Apr 012017
 

Regulars at a popular Aberdeen bar have answered a call to raise thousands of pounds for a local children’s charity. With thanks to Ian McLaren, PR account manager, Innes Associates.

During 2016, customers of McNasty’s on Summer Street dug deep to raise over £5,000 for north-east charity Cash for Kids.

The bar’s owners, Stephen and Linda Taylor, were keen to once again support the charity which works to improve the lives of sick, disabled and disadvantaged children living in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

This contribution follows £4,000 handed over to the charity last year as a result of fundraising during 2015.

Central to McNasty’s annual fundraising initiative is a fortnightly quiz that attracts around 15 teams. The quizzes are set by pub regulars Barry Cooke and Iain Sluyter, something the duo have done in their spare time for the past seven years.

In addition to the fortnightly quiz, Barry and his friend Ronnie Falconer, assisted by the team at McNasty’s, have organised a number of other fundraising events at the bar. This has included race nights, raffles and band nights – at which local bands take to the stage free of charge. Amongst the bands that have performed are The Capollos and Winston Smith.

Co-owner of McNasty’s, Stephen Taylor, said:

“All of our customers and suppliers have once again got behind our fundraising and shown real generosity. To have increased the amount we handed over to Cash for Kids compared to the previous year is fantastic. It is great to know that the money will be used locally to make a real difference to the lives of children across the north-east.”

Quiz organiser Barry Cooke, who works as an operations support coordinator for Apache North Sea, said:

“The popularity of the quiz grows year-on-year, meaning that the amount we raise from it for charity also increases. Although each quiz takes time to set, the reward is in knowing how much the charity, and those that it supports, benefits.”

Cash for Kids will use all of the money donated by McNasty’s to help fulfil applications to its quarterly grant funding programme. Grants are made to individuals, families and community groups in order to help improve the quality of children’s lives. Applications for the next round of grant funding must be submitted by Friday, 14 April and endorsed by a third party such as a social worker or health visitor.

Cash for Kids charity manager Michelle Ferguson said:

“We’re very grateful to the customers and staff at McNasty’s who helped to raise this brilliant amount during 2016. Businesses committing to this type of fundraising, with the support of their customers, is very important for charities and can help to make a real difference to the lives of the people we support. In Cash for Kids’ case it is the thousands of sick, disabled or disadvantaged children that live in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

“The pub quiz at McNasty’s might not be the easiest, but Barry, Ian and the team at the pub certainly make sure it is a fun and sociable night.”

Cash for Kids is Northsound Radio’s listeners’ charity. It makes grants to individuals, families, children’s groups, organisations and projects throughout the Northsound transmission area. All money is raised locally and spent locally to benefit local disabled and disadvantaged children and young people under 18. More information on Cash for Kids can be found at www.northsound1.com/cashforkids, or telephone 01224 337010.

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