The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
TV spot for Kinglassie fundraiser’s youth group.
New documentary will focus on former mental health nurse
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 from her own home, Catherine Sala-Murray has, in three years, built up her Kats Mission operation to include 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 a small army of volunteers, supported more than 300 good causes.
The former 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 first but we quickly 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 isolation, or offering families who may be struggling to make ends meet.”
A key aspect of Catherine’s success is a group of youngsters known as the Bizzy Bees, the first youth group in Fife to achieve dementia-friendly status.
“Under our motto of ‘Team Work and Patience’ the kids get involved in everything we do,” Catherine said.
“However, it’s also about giving them the life skills to help those with, say, dementia or disability in a compassionate and caring way.”
She added: “As long as there’s a young family with a sick child that needs our help or a pensioner who just wants to see a friendly face, we’ll continue to be there, that’s what we do.”
A documentary featuring Catherine is to be broadcast on STV on October 2.