Isobel brews up something great
Youngster’s big coffee morning raises £1k for causes close to heart
A kind-hearted and hardworking nine-year-old brought her community together this Easter to raise more than £1000 for charity.
Young Isobel Trueman, from Pitlochry, organised and hosted a hugely successful coffee morning at Moulin Hall on April 1.
After a busy morning of serving locals, much to the delight and cheers of the crowd, Isobel took centre stage, revealing the fantastic sum of money gathered from the event.
“Isobel wanted to raise £150,” proud mum Gillian explained. “That was the goal and she said: ‘I think we’ll do it’.
“The day was unbelievably overwhelming, quite incredible.”
In total, £1073 was raised and that will be split equally between ICP Support and Alzheimer Scotland - two charities close to the family’s heart.
“Isobel will be 10 this year, so 10 years since I had my liver condition,” Gillian explained. “I did not know I had ICP
(Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy) until I’d had Isobel, so it was a real rush.
“It is a liver condition where your bile acids build up and it can be really dangerous for the baby.
“Isobel came out really jaundiced. I had no idea because it was my first pregnancy.
“You start to itch and I was ripping my skin off because it was so bad. ICP Support were incredible to me and I still keep in touch with them 10 years on. “They have lost a lot of funding because of the pandemic so we wanted to pay back.”
Gillian added: “My mum is 70 this year and she is raising money for Alzheimer Scotland because her mum had it before she died. Isobel wanted to join in.
“Alzheimer Scotland really supported my mother through the time with her mum. She really needed them at that time.
“Both charities have been extremely important in our lives.”
More than 100 people attended the coffee morning and more seats needed to be found from wherever available.
The support from local businesses was hailed as overwhelming, many of whom donated beautiful baking.
“There were so many people who supported us and it is hard to list them all,” said Gillian, who works at Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
“Some of the cafes in the town
The day was unbelievably overwhelming, quite incredible. Moulin Hall is not that big but, by 10.15am, nobody could get a seat
donated hundreds of scones and pastries. There was so much baking.
“Moulin Hall is not that big but, by 10.15am, nobody could get a seat. We had friends running around trying to get more tables.
“Isobel and her friends had also organised a talent show during the morning.
“At the end she was determined to thank everyone so stood up with a list to read it all out.
“I handed her the total we had raised to read out and I probably burst into tears. I could see her dad watching from the kitchen - he had been stuck washing dishes for an hour and a half!
“We were totally overwhelmed by the support. We’ve even had people phoning who I didn’t know, saying how amazing it all was.”
While there may be a wee break for now, do not be surprised to see Isobel back on the fundraising trail soon. Gillian said: “She really likes to do this.”