Ideal Homes show on course to raise £15,000

More than 2,300 people visited the Clickimin Centre over the weekend to see what was on offer at the Rotary Club’s Ideal Homes Show – raising around £15,000 for the club’s charity fund.

The show is one of the Rotary Club of Shetland’s biggest fund-raising events.

Club president Dennis Leask said: “From when we opened at 5pm on Friday there was a steady flow of people through the halls. We were a bit worried that, after a bumper day on Saturday, Sunday’s bad weather might put people off. In fact, it looks like people saw the show as a good place to go on a wet and windy day and we saw a good turnout all through the weekend.”

Andrew Archer of the club’s exhibitions team said: “It will be a while before we get a final total, but it looks as if the show raised about £15,000 for the Rotary Club charity fund, which is a fantastic result. All of the money that is raised goes to good causes, much of it to local charities and groups in Shetland.

“Lots of local groups are getting their funding squeezed and we are seeing more and more organisations asking if the Rotary Club can help them. Any group, big or small, that is doing good things for their community, can apply to Rotary for support.

“In the last couple of months we have been pleased to support applications from Disability Shetland, the Westside News Group, the Shetland Science Outreach Group, the Anderson High School physics trip, the Schools Music Festival and CLIC Sargent (for children with cancer), as well as making a contribution to a children’s hardship fund that is run by Voluntary Action Shetland.

“Just in the last few days we have started work with the Association of Community Councils on funding for activities for older people this Christmas. It’s the money that is raised at events such as the Ideal Homes Show that allows us to help so I would like to say thank you to everybody who braved the weather and came along and made it such a great weekend for us.”

Exhibitors at the event seemed happy as well. Lyle Williamson of GTS Direct said: “The show has been very worthwhile for us. As well as meeting and speaking to many of our existing customers, we also sold a wide range of equipment over the weekend.”

Mr Williamson’s view was echoed by Melissa Duncan of Elise Jay Handpainted Vintage Furniture. She said: “As a relatively new, small business, the Ideal Homes Show has been the perfect platform to raise our profile. It’s been fantastic to meet old and new customers and take the time to discuss future work. I’m really looking forward to the next show in two years’ time.”