Downton Abbey star Hugh backs Oban family’s appeal
Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville is backing a ‘last resort’ patient transport fund set up in memory of an Oban woman.
The actor, best-known for playing the Earl of Grantham in the historical TV drama, posted the Justgiving details for North Argyll Carers Centre’s Cherish Fund on social media after being contacted by a friend of Alyson Bowman’s family.
The star also made a personal donation to the fund, which helps to transport patients to vital medical appointments when all other options have been exhausted.
Mum-of-two and former Oban High School pupil Alyson Bowman was just 33 when she lost a two-year battle with stomach cancer in 2007.
The Cherish Fund was started by her parents Jean and John Bowman, who wanted to help other people avoid ‘a very difficult’ journey back from a hospital appointment like their daughter had experienced just before her death.
The couple, who used to run Kilmelford’s Shower of Herring restaurant and bar and still live in the Oban area, are having a second go at raising funds, with a book signed by all the cast of Downton Abbey. The Chronicles of Downton Abbey was given to them by a guest Charmian Adam, who stayed with them when they ran a B&B at North Connel and was art director on the hit series.
Over the years since Alyson’s death, her parents have raised more than £40,000 for the appeal but an earlier attempt to auction off the autographed book at Glasgow auctioneers McTears did not meet the reserve price.
In the hope of boosting funds, the book is now being raffled off on justgiving.com/fundraising/north- argyll carers-centre-cherish-fundoban.
‘Luckily I’d put a reserve on it. There was only one bid and that was £270. We thought we’d get more for it in Oban but we’ve had it here ever since,’ said Mrs Bowman.
People who make a donation on the Justgiving page by December 11 will automatically get the chance of winning the book with the lucky winner announced the next day.
Donations on the page have made more than £500, doubling the highest auction bid, but Mrs Bowman is hoping to get more. The suggested minimum donation is £2.
It was the Bowman’s friend, Lia Crolla, who messaged Hugh Bonneville to see if he could help.
She said: ‘I saw Hugh had 75,000 followers in America and Australia on social media and thought it might help if he put it on his links. I just messaged him and then an ‘efficient elf’ put it up for us. Soon after a £50 donation appeared on the Justgiving page from a Hugh B, so I’m assuming it was him.
‘It’s a super prize, especially as the [Downton Abbey] film’s just been out. It’s got Hugh’s and Maggie Smith’s autographs in it as well as others in the cast – I want to win it!’
Mrs Bowman said: ‘The hospital here does its best, but for specialist treatment people need to go to Glasgow. When someone is so fragile or someone is nearing the end of their life, it’s not an easy journey to make if they can’t get themselves there, if they don’t have the where-with-all or don’t have a car. If all else fails they can get transport through North Argyll Carers helped by the Cherish Fund but it can only be used as a last resort and can only be used so many times.
‘Alyson was a mum at 17, she gave us two beautiful granddaughters. We set up The Cherish Fund as a legacy for her because she’s not had a full time on Earth. We are doing it for her and are hoping good will come from it.’