Six figure milestone for CLAN

By ROSALIND GRIFFITHS

SHETLAND fund-raisers have proved their worth once again by breaking through the £100,000 barrier in the CLAN 1,2,3 appeal.

Since the appeal was launched in the summer fund-raising activities ranging from sporting events to house teas, concerts and community gatherings have been carried out across the isles.

Donations have also been pouring into the year-long appeal.

CLAN House in Aberdeen pro­vides much-needed services for cancer patients, their family and their friends and it is a reflection of how well the service is thought of by the Shetland community that has brought about this level of re­sponse.

SIC convener Sandy Cluness said: “The response so far has been absolutely magnificent and it is an incredible achievement to get this sum of money raised in such a short period of time. Shetlanders are known for pulling together and working as a community and this fundraising effort is a very good example of that.”

The milestone has been reached in record time – less than 16 weeks – an effort that committee member Willie Shannon described as “ab­solutely amazing”.

He said: “It shows what a caring community Shetland is when it rises to the occasion for something like this.”

Chairwoman Elaine Jamieson agreed: “I always hoped we would reach £100,000 but to reach it in four months is beyond expectation. It demonstrates how much CLAN is valued by Shetlanders.”

The fund-raising push, which has netted almost a thousand pounds a day, had delighted CLAN managers in Aberdeen, Mrs Jamie­son said. Such was the support for the cause that it might even be possible, in the future, to deliver some services (such as comple­mentary therapies) locally.

But for the present the focus is to get the new £3 million cancer centre in Aberdeen up and running.

The local committee is working on a number of projects and are available to support anyone who has ideas or is engaging in fundraising for the local appeal.

Mrs Jamieson said: “We are enormously grateful to the com­munity for the support the appeal has received so far, and are all so encouraged by the support this demonstrates. This is perhaps re­flective of the support locals feel they have received from CLAN over the years.

“I hope everyone will help us maintain the momentum of the appeal. Together I am confident we will make a significant contribution to the new building.”

MSP Tavish Scott said: “I am delighted this impressive milestone has been reached. This demonstrates just how good Shetland is at raising money for important causes – and CLAN House is important, pro­viding vital support to many Shetland patients.”

Meanwhile events throughout the isles and beyond have con­tributed to the total.

The Lerwick Guizer Jarl’s Squad paid a visit to Orkney in October, entitled Kol’s Return. This recipro­cated the support given to the squad during by the Kirkwall City Pipe Band during this year’s Up-Helly-A’. A total of £1,200 was raised and the amount was split equally between the Shetland and Orkney appeals.

In Shetland, a monster carrot grown by Shirley Gifford from Bressay netted £90. Mrs Gifford decided to take it to the marts “for a fun” and was amazed at the eventual auction price. She said a new batch of seed had produced a crop of big carrots this year of which this was the biggest, and only “pure manure”, no fertiliser, had been used.

Also testament to people’s generosity was a collection box placed at Shetland Marts for people to put their change in after buying a cup of tea – this raised £90 in small change in little more than a week.

Pancake baking has turned into a money-spinner for Florence Smith of Cunningsburgh, who recently baked 250 dozen in aid of the charity. She gave away a few of the 3,000 pancakes and the rest raised £800 in donations.

Mrs Smith, who has been baking tried and trusted recipes all her life, specialises in pancakes and knows the recipe off by heart. She uses a heavy-bottomed aluminium frying pan on an electric cooker, and said: “I don’t like to blow my own trumpet but they usually come quite well.”

Other recent contributions include £1,000 from the Westside Fiddle and Accordion Club, a small group which comprises around six or seven older members and has lost five members to cancer over the years. The group meets every second Thursday in the old Gruting School and invites youngsters to play for the first half of the night.

Treasurer of the club Betty Ferrie said that the money had been accumulated from subscriptions and all the members thought donating to CLAN was worthwhile. Mrs Ferrie said: “It brings people together in a good cause.”

The jewellery shop Jool in Lerwick’s Toll Clock Shopping Centre donated £300. The shop is directly opposite the CLAN charity shop and has benefited from more custom.

Jool donated the proceeds of its sale cabinet to the cause, and these donations will continue. The CLAN shop is still very popular and is open from Monday to Saturday.

Thanks also go to Kay Johnson for the banking and Tay-Cad for the banners.

The running total for the campaign can be seen in the window of the Bank of Scotland.

Events to look forward to include a sale in the CLAN store in Commercial Road on Sunday, and a Mr and Mrs night in Lerwick Town Hall next Friday.