Moray business group selects charity for year ahead

A NETWORKING group for women in Moray will showcase its chosen charity for 2020 at its next monthly meeting.

Moray Business Women’s Club, which has a new committee for the year ahead, will meet in Forres where members will hear from its nominated charity Moray Rape Crisis.

Members voted for the charity at the club's annual general meeting and are now looking forward to supporting it throughout the year.

The event, which will be held in the Tolbooth in Forres, will also look at the benefits of becoming a Moray Business Women member and give people a chance to meet the new committee in full.

President Clare Lock said she was looking forward to a vibrant year ahead.

She said: "Our February event is really all about the club and our charity and how we will be working together throughout 2020, but also how our members can benefit from being part of this dynamic group of women, who are all here to do great business and support each other throughout our business journeys. We have a very strong committee with some existing members from last year, but some new people on board too, so we are coming up with lots of fresh ideas to keep the club as forward-thinking as possible."

Speaking about the charity, Clare added: "We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Moray Rape Crisis as our 2020 charity. We had four charities pitch at our AGM in December, and it was no easy task to decide who to vote for. However, Moray Rape Crisis were the successful charity and we are very much looking forward to working with them throughout the year. Last year, we worked alongside Abbie’s Sparkle and raised over £5000, and our aim is to do the same again, if not even better."

Moray Rape Crisis provides free and confidential information, advocacy and support to anyone in Moray (age 11 and over) affected by any form of sexual violence.

Bethea Robertson, support and development manager, said: "We are delighted to have been chosen as Moray Business Women’s Charity of the Year. It is an honour especially when there were so many other equally deserving charities in the running.

"We are looking forward to having more opportunities to raise awareness of our fairly new service and in spreading the word that there is support here for those of any gender who have experienced any kind of sexual trauma at any time in their lives.

"It is good to have the support of Moray Business Women in this sensitive and important area of work. Many people live for years without any support or holding onto painful secrets in relation to these issues.

"Together, we are opening up opportunities for survivors of sexual violence to break their silence in a safe, confidential space here at Moray Rape Crisis."

She added: "Any funds raised will go directly towards keeping our much-needed service running. We have a waiting list of over six months currently, so extra funding would go towards more support hours."

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