MRI scanner appeal tops half a million pounds

A surge in donations has sent the MRI scanner appeal total over the £500,000 mark – almost a third of the way to the £1.65m target.

Cheques have been flooding in from a host of initiatives including £6,000 – which Shetland schools helped raise through the sale of tulip and daffodil bulbs – £2,500 from PJ Hurson Garage Services in Ollaberry, £4,000 from the Whalsay Gala, the sale of MRI Christmas cards, donations from several milestone birthdays and wedding anniversaries, funeral donations and, of course, the sale of knitted products by the MRI Maakers and Harriet Middleton’s six patterns.

That follows a donation of £100,000, from seven Whalsay pelagic fishing families.

The scanner appeal now has a new fundraising manager at the helm. Derek Hart joined the appeal earlier this month from Marie Curie and said he was stunned by the generosity of the Shetland community and businesses.

“This is £504,148 that has been raised by local individuals, groups and businesses and shows a deep commitment to this project and what it will mean for people living in the islands.

“Our next step is to engage with large-scale funders after which we will take stock and see who else we can approach and what more needs to be done.”

Mr Hart said the variety of money-raising ideas was impressive and the involvement of every part of the community from very young children selling bulbs to the elderly ladies in the care home in Whalsay who were knitting products for the MRI Maakers to sell.

NHS Shetland finance director Colin Marsland said: “Thank you to everyone who is fundraising – all these efforts mean we are well on our way to achieving a very big goal.