Lorraine to fashion your old jewellery into fabulous fundraising finery

Generous gesture is an echo of Marie Curie’s origins

A UK charity kick-started 70 years ago by the gift of a diamond ring will benefit from a unique commission thanks to a Dundee jeweller.

Lorraine Law contacted Marie Curie, the charity that provides free professional nursing care to terminally ill people at home, after realising she could help commemorate its 70th anniversary by finding a way to make history repeat itself.

The charity was founded on the proceeds of a donated engagement ring in 1948.

Marie Curie patron Petra McMillan is appealing to Courier readers to donate any odd, unwanted pieces of gold or silver that Lorraine might melt down and fashion into a new gold or silver pendant which will then be auctioned or sold for the benefit of the charity’s community nursing service across the NHS Tayside area.

Petra said: “We’re not asking people to part with high value items or pieces they hold dear – it’s the broken necklace, odd earring, spare butterflies – the kind of thing many of us have lurking at the bottom of our jewellery box.

“Lorraine can breathe new life into the metal and create something wonderful and unique which will then help us raise vital funds to support our nurses working in our own communities.”

Contemporary jeweller Lorraine has been in business for almost 20 years.

Trading from her shop in Dundee’s Union Street, she is well known for handcrafting one-off pieces, in particular, contemporary heart-shaped pendants.

However, it may be that Marie Curie’s iconic daffodil is chosen for this particular work of art.

Lorraine said: “It’s an exciting process and something I wanted to do for personal reasons but also because the Marie Curie anniversary and story of the ring struck a chord with me.”

Established on July 6 1948, the Marie Curie International Memorial received a diamond engagement ring, donated by Mrs Alice Macpherson, as its first gift.

It sold for £75 – around £2,000 in today’s money.

Depending on what is donated, Lorraine may make an entirely silver piece, a gold pendant or even include precious stones if they turn up in the “harvest”.

Usually such a piece would cost in the region of £400 to £2,000.

With just one hour of Marie Curie nursing care “costing” £20, Petra is hopeful the golden opportunity might make a real difference to local families this spring.

Anyone looking to donate jewellery can do so either at Lorraine Law’s shop in Dundee city centre or at Jessie’s Kitchen in Broughty Ferry.

The appeal will close on April 30.

Picture: Kim Cessford. Contemporary jeweller Lorraine Law in her Dundee shop.