Charity supports comic’s challenge

Comedian Kevin Bridges has challenged the public to double his £20,000 donation to a Kinross-based children’s charity.

The stand-up star presented the sum to Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) at the weekend, in tribute to Dylan Hairstains, a boy he met at Robin House near Balloch.

Now Bridges is urging others to get behind a new CHAS appeal inspired by his donation.

The charity, which operates Rachel House in Kinross, now wants supporters to double the comedian’s generous gift.

A spokesman said: “In these extremely challenging times, we are so grateful to Kevin for his commitment to helping other children and young people with life-shortening conditions.

“He has also laid down a challenge, to see if those who are in a position to contribute to CHAS can help double his donation at this crucial moment in time. We’d like to take him up on his challenge.”

He added: “At CHAS, we are doing everything we can to reach as many children and families who need us, but there is no escaping the fact that we need to work even harder to raise enough money to continue our vital work as our fundraising events, face-to-face fundraising activity and many of our usual community fundraising efforts have been put on hold for the foreseeable future, leading to a drastic drop in our income.”

The charity pleaded: “Please join Kevin Bridges and help us reach £20,000 to make sure every child in Scotland dealing with a lifeshortening condition receives the support they so desperately need.”

Bridges stressed it was important to remember charity groups which have also been hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

“A lot of good causes like CHAS are struggling for funding during all of this, with the regular fundraising events being either postponed or cancelled,” he said.

CHAS chief executive Rami Okasha said he was “humbled and bowled over” by Bridges’ donation and extended an invitation for him to visit again “once we’re all through the other side of this”.

CHAS has set up a fundraising page for donations at justgiving.com/campaign/ KevinBridgesChallenge

Picture: Shutterstock. Kevin Bridges.