£25k donation is just what hospice wants
PAUL DRURY
The generosity of‘What Every Woman Wants Tycoon’ Vera Weisfeld has led to £25,000 being donated to the Kilbryde Hospice in East Kilbride.
We told last week how Scotland’s fashion discount queen mounted a clearance sale of her own in aid of the charity.
That saw her put 150 of her favourite things under the hammer at McTears Works of Art Auction in Glasgow.
Items up for grabs included a bronze sculpture of Scotland’s most famous poet, Robert Burns; two bronze statues of female nudes by the celebrated Italian artist Amadeo Fiorese and several pieces of work by Glasgow School of Art graduates, including the late Alan King, whose signed and framed “In my new striped trousers and red hat” was available.
The 81-year-old businesswoman has supported the hospice since it was established, saying it was “rather personal to me” because it took in people from her hometown of Coatbridge.
The five-figure sum was achieved at McTear’s auction house last Friday.
The most expensive lot was the Generous £1100 raised by the sale of an oil on canvas painting “The River Wharfe near Grassington” by Michael James Smith.
By contrast, a children’s nursery circular table and chairs sold for just £35.
Brian Clements, McTears managing director, said of Mrs Weisfeld’s total: “It’s more than we anticipated. It’s fabulous it’s all going to charity.”
Vera added: “I am delighted at the amount raised. It’s nice to know the charity will receive a five-figure sum, while people get the chance to pick up something nice.”