Rangers fans raise £836k for Erskine veteran group
RANGERS fans have raised £856,000 for a veteran support charity.
The Rangers Supporters Erskine Appeal (RSEA) set out to raise £1000 when it formed in 2007 but the Erskine Veterans charity have now benefitted from the hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Sponsored walks, zip slides, abseil, football tournaments, golf days, Northern Soul nights and Sportsman Dinners have all helped to boost the charity pot, as well as their now well-known badges which identify their supporters.
And, the group have shown they’ve no signs of stopping. RSEA have a merchandise range and they’ve even expanded, with a new group of RSEA fundraisers forming in the north of Scotland.
Tom Clark, who began the initiative, said: “We are extremely delighted with the monies raised and I am so proud to be part of the Rangers family who have made this happen.
“We have now reached a point where we can genuinely set a realistic target of raising £1million.
“My personal highlight was when we organised Harold Davis to come to the Erskine Park Home to open a Sensory Room for the residents. Unbeknown to Harold the room was being named after him. He muttered a few words to me under his breath which I cannot repeat, but I know he was deeply honoured at the gesture. To have the support of Harold and his wife Vi over the years was wonderful and we miss him deeply.”
Sara Bannerman, head of fundraising and communications at Erskine, added: “We are incredibly grateful to RSEA for their amazing support over the last 12 years.
“Their efforts have not only raised substantial funds for our Veterans but have also helped raise our profile in Scotland and reminded people how important it is to remember the debt we owe, and the deep respect we have, to our Veterans for their service.
“RSEA work closely with us and step in to assist with specific projects which benefit our Veterans, with the most recent being the purchase of a Magic Table for residents living with dementia.
“There is so much we would not have been able to achieve without their support.”