The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
College students bring cheer to van owner after vandals strike
Woman fighting terminal cancer ‘completely overwhelmed’
Kind-hearted students have brightened the life of a terminally-ill Tayside woman after restoring her vandalised campervan.
Fi Munro was left distraught when her bright yellow Volkswagen – nicknamed Wini – was damaged while it was parked outside her Carse of Gowrie home in December.
Owning the campervan was the realisation of a lifelong dream for 34-year-old Fi, who was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer in 2016.
Despite surgery to remove five of her organs and a period in remission, she received the devastating news early last year that tumours had returned to her right lung and left kidney.
She has been using her background as a PHD researcher and skills in reiki, yoga, crystal therapy and meditation to work as a spiritual life coach and mentor following the news her cancer was incurable.
Fi bought the campervan after being medically retired and was shocked to find it had been vandalised in the quiet community.
After hearing about the damage to her pride and joy, Perth College vehicle body repair and refinishing lecturer Duncan
Reid offered his help in repairing Wini – the second altruistic gesture by students this year.
“The students involved were from our level 5/6 diploma spray painting group,” said Duncan, who thanked Gil’s Motor Factors in Perth for donating the paint for the job.
“They are a talented group and were very keen to be involved helping Fi get her beloved camper back to the way it was.”
Fi said she was “completely overwhelmed” by the kind gesture from the students at the college as well as Duncan.
She said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for the students to see that their work not only matters but that it can make a difference too.”
A couple of weeks ago, students also repaired Mearns charity volunteer Nikki Murray’s car after it was targeted outside Brechin Castle Centre in December during a party for OAPS from the local group of Re-engage, formerly Contact for the Elderly.