Islay ladies’ disco raises £4,500 for cancer charity
A group of Islay ladies have raised £4,500 for a Glasgow cancer centre in memory of a fellow islander who passed away in her 40s. The ladies have previously raised funds for good causes at their annual ladies’ night, but were motivated to raise funds for the Beatson Cancer Charity this year, after the recent death of Louise MacTaggart.
The charity supports the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre and fundraising efforts involved a ladies’ disco on Saturday April 1 at Ballygrant Hall.
Prior to the event, raffle tickets sold out online, emphasising the significant response from Islay residents to the event, with £3,500 raised on the night.
The Islay community also rallied around the event by donating money and prizes as DJ Cookie and Ringo’s Disco provided live music.
Katherine Urquhart was one of the night’s organisers. She said: “Everybody is amazed by the money that was donated and we were very well supported by the whole island.
“A big thank you to islanders and also to Islay Fèis, which made a generous donation to our cause after the night through the Islay Wave Fund.”
In a Facebook post, she added: “Thank you to all the distilleries, hotels, businesses, Loganair, Islay residents, mainlanders, and the Ileach Office (who kept us going with raffle tickets). Special thanks to Lynn Bonar, Lorna Bonar, Tracey Johnston and Lynn Wilson for all your support.”
In a letter responding to the ladies’ fundraising efforts, Maisie McCormick, Beatson Cancer Charity community fundraising manager, said: “Thanks to your support we can continue to invest in services, staff, research and education to provide a better future for those affected by cancer. It is your generosity which allows Beatson Cancer Charity and all our staff and volunteers, to deliver an innovative and patient-focused approach to cancer care.”