Charity push inspired by brave Laura raises whopping £20,000
A CHARITY auction and ceilidh at North Connel Hall raised £20,000 for CLIC Sargent and the Antony Nolan Trust, plus £1,200 more for the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity.
The inspiration behind the November event is local teenager Laura Campbell, who was diagnosed with leukemia for the third time in her life.
But thanks to a stem cell donor, she underwent a bone marrow transplant in October.
Last year Laura and her friends began a campaign to recruit more lifesaving blood donors to enlist on the Anthony Nolan stem cell register, and many fundraised for CLIC Sargent, which supports young cancer sufferers.
John Sweeney, watch manager for Oban’s Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said an incredible 212 people had joined the register as a result of the campaign, and, with each entry costing £70, the ceilidh will cover the costs.
Everything at the event was donated for free, including the hall, food and music.
Raffle gifts raised £4,000, while the auction raised more than £ 5,000. Local primary school children also baked cakes to sell around North Connel, raising £150, and an anonymous benefactor posted organisers a £ 5,000 cheque.
A raffle earlier in the month at Poppies Garden Centre near Dunbeg, organised by owners Gary and Marion McPherson, also raised £640 towards the total.
‘We started off aiming for £ 5,000,’ said fundraiser Archie Cameron, ‘then we got a donation of £ 5,000, which set us up for £10,000, and it just kept going. We didn’t know where to stop.’
Laura’s grandfather, Ronnie Campbell, thanked all those who donated and fundraised, in particular Archie, without whom, he said, the ‘amazing’ event would not have happened.