Moray club overwhelmed by local support
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THE generosity of local people has left members of a Moray club completely overwhelmed.
At the start of the Easter holidays, a campaign was launched to replace the pool table at Elgin Community Centre after it fell victim to cuts because of its monthly rental costs.
The table was popular with the 82 members of the Greyfriars Club who meet there every Thursday night.
So they decided to fundraise for a replacement and the Friends of Greyfriars group launched a crowdfunding appeal.
Money came pouring in and, within a fortnight, they had secured a table for the centre and enough money for its upkeep as well as other games and equipment.
Retired Elgin High School headmaster Bill Hope, who is a friend of the long-running club and led the drive, thanked the Elgin community for its incredible support.
Mr Hope said: "Help has come from all directions – we have been gifted an excellent, recently-covered pool table by Walter Meldrum of the Golden Pheasant bar and crowdfunding donations (large and small) amounted to £700.
"On hearing this, local lad Steven McMullan, the local contracts manager for asbestos removal firm Enviraz (Scotland) Ltd, threw in a cheque for £350 to take us over our £1000 target."
As well as having the table, the club – which provides a social meeting place for adults with learning disabilities from across Moray – has enough money for the table's upkeep and equipment and were also able to buy other items from their wish list.
Mr Hope said: "This generosity has meant that the club has been able to purchase two much longed-for items to enhance their Thursday weekly meetings – a bingo machine and a state-of-the-art music centre. These items will help the club go from strength-to-strength."
In addition, the group was also offered a second pool table, which could be available free to a local community group. Contact Mr Hope on 01343 543092 should you have a group which is interested.
In thanking everyone for their support, Greyfriars Club chair May Newlands said the icing on the cake would be more helper volunteers.
Anyone interested can get in touch on 01343 546753 for more information.
In addition to the Greyfriars Club, the table will be used by the 61 other groups which use Elgin Community Centre, as well as by visitors to the facility.
