Charity to feature on television

THE selfless charity work of a Fife woman is to be highlighted in a television documentary.

After starting out by raising funds for good causes f rom her own home, Catherine SalaMurray has, in three years, built up her Kats Mission operation to i nclude a shop and community hub in Kinglassie.

Catherine, who champions small charities and families with sick children, estimates she has now, with the help of volunteers, supported more than 300 good causes.

The f ormer mental health nurse said: “We’ve come a long way in just a few years since we set up in Kinglassie in 2016 but there’s always more to do.

“The thrift shop came f i r st b u t w e q u i c k l y realised people were calling for a chat and for company so we decided to open the Community Hub in 2018, and it’s been a big success.

“As well as the fundraising the aim was to generate a sense of community spirit so the hub works on many levels, be it offering a place for people to come who would otherwise live in social i solation, or offering families who may be struggling to make ends meet.”

A key aspect of Catherine’s success is a g r o u p o f y o u n g st e r s known as the Bizzy Bees, the first youth group in Fife to achieve dementiafriendly status. “Under our motto of ‘Team Work and Patience’ the kids get involved in everything we d o ,” C a t h e r i n e s a i d . “However, it’s also about giving them the life skills to help those with, say, dementia or disability.”

The documentary is to be broadcast on STV on October 2.