‘We are so de-lighted with total’

Illuminations display earns £650 for causes

An illuminating Comrie couple have thanked locals for their generosity over the festive period.

Since 2002, June and Graham MacPhee have been putting on a spectacular festive light show in their garden and on their house, raising hundreds of pounds for charity.

In the past the kindly couple have collected donations for CHAS but this year wanted to raise money for lesser known charity Debra, which supports those affected by epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a rare genetic condition which causes the skin to blister and tear at the slightest touch.

This week June was pleased to report that donations deposited into her garden wishing well were almost double those of previous years, amounting to £650.

And CHAS didn’t miss out either as one kindhearted resident handed June a cheque for £100 for the Rachel House hospice in Kinross.

June said: “I think it’s wonderful raising such an amount.

“And afterwards when I went to church on Sunday and the minister showed the information about Debra around and how much we had raised, we collected another £94. £375 is the most I’ve made in the past.”

June is also happy to be raising awareness about Debra and EB. Her greatgrandson Jaxon suffers from the condition.

Jaxon – who celebrated his first birthday in October – is one of the luckier so-called “butterfly children” as he has one of the milder forms of the condition.

June is hopeful that a cure will be found in his lifetime.

She added: “We are grateful to everybody that came to see the lights and donated.

“But we also need to thank our neighbours for being so patient, especially those opposite who have to put up with the flashing lights; our new neighbours who we forgot to warn that the lights would be going on, and the rest of the neighbours for putting up with cars coming into the cul-de-sac.”

June is now an official fundraiser for Debra and her efforts for the charity continue with a coffee morning in Comrie Parish Church on March 17.

Entry is by donation, with all proceeds going to the good cause.