THE weather may have taken a cold turn, but the fund-raising temperature remains red hot for the Moray Friends of ARCHIE appeal.
The appeal to raise in excess of £100,000 for the children’s ward at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin has received another double boost.
Elgin firefighters held a Christmas ball in the fire station and it proved a roaring success.
Chief organiser Ian Alexander and colleagues Simon Tucker and Colin Tawse presented a cheque for £1,790 to the appeal.
Their visit provided a little cheer for Hollie Stephen (4), from Elgin, who was in the ward having treatment after breaking her femur jumping off a bed.
Hollie, who attends Miltonduff Nursery, was facing a few weeks in hospital after undergoing emergency surgery to repair the damage.
The local appeal aims to complement a planned revamp of the children’s ward by NHS Grampian by further boosting the facilities and environment for youngsters like Hollie and their families.
The Playbarn at Lhanbryde, a children’s indoor play centre and café, also boosted the appeal to the tune of £266.58.
That was thanks to youngsters making handprints on the walls of the soft play centre in return for a donation to the appeal.
Leah Armour, play centre manager, said the charity handprint effort first started a few years ago in support of the Logan’s Fund appeal in support of toddler Logan Main. Since then the handprints have been used to support other charities, both local and national.
The Moray Friends group also had a stall in the foyer of Dr Gray’s Hospital and the sale of ARCHIE merchandise and a knitting challenge by volunteer Maggie Thomson raised over £126.
Moray Titans Rugby League Club took part in a sponsored car pull in the centre of Elgin last weekend for the children’s ward appeal.
The Mosstodloch Scottish Country Dance Club added £121 to the coffers following a raffle at a recent party night.
The appeal now has over £30,000 in the bank just four months after it was launched.
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