Big Mac is the key to raising cash

McDonald’s customers are tops

Customers of McDonald’s restaurants in Rutherglen and Castlemilk have helped raise thousands of pounds for a new Scottish Ronald McDonald House.

The fast food outlets are two of six owned by local franchisee Kate Walker that have raised over £4,900 for the new Edinburgh house.

Due to open in spring 2018, the facility is a 26-bedroom ‘home away from home’ for families of children being treated at the Edinburgh hospital.

At a cost of £3 million, McDonald’s restaurants across Glasgow have raised over £300,000 for the facility over the past three years.

Kate and her staff decided to contribute the money customers pay for their brown food bags to the cause and also held a series of fundraisers.

Staff, together with their colleagues from across the region, took part in a number of challenges including the Tough Mudder and abseiling down the Glasgow crane.

Kate, who owns six restaurants across Motherwell, East Kilbride, Bellshill, Castlemilk and Rutherglen, said: “For the last three years, the staff, customers and I have been proud to contribute the bag tax money from the restaurants to this important project.

“Ronald McDonald Houses offer an invaluable service to families throughout the UK and we look forward to getting involved in more fundraising for the Scottish house and the wider charity in the future.”

The new Ronald McDonald House is expected to look after as many as 500 families each year. It will be located on the top floor of the new children’s hospital and will include communal areas such as lounges, kitchens, laundry facilities and a playroom.

Every bedroom has a telephone directly linked to the children’s ward.

The house will be open 365 days a year, providing a free-of-charge place for families to rest, relax, eat and be together, away from the stress of the hospital ward, yet close enough to be by their child’s bed at a moment’s notice.

The £3m construction and annual £300,000 running costs will be met by Ronald McDonald House Charities.

This is the second Ronald McDonald House in Scotland. There is already has a 30-bedroom house in Glasgow which has also received long-standing support from staff and customers of McDonald’s.

The house will be open 365 days a year