Rotary members in the Scottish town of Largs pulled out all the stops to ensure that a Marie Curie collection day was a rip-roaring success.
The Marie Curie charity provides care and support for people living with terminal illness, as well as their families. And last year, the Marie Curie cared for more than 40,000 people across the UK.
Ken Jarrett from Largs Rotary contacted the charity to ask if club members could stage a collection day in the town on the Firth of Clyde, which would also raise the profile of Rotary.
“We put up our pop-up banner with a notice ‘Largs Rotary supporting Marie Curie’,” said Ken.
“With the level of support we had from members, we were able to extend the collecting period from the six hours that Marie Curie usually have, to ten hours. The total we raised for the day was £900!”
Volunteers collecting for Marie Curie in large yellow top hats.
Ken said that the silly hats were optional, but he believed they doubled the sum collected. “When you think of all the work that goes into organising some fundraising efforts, such as a coffee morning, this was so simple and cost only our time,” he added.
A donation of £900 has funded for over 45 hours of nursing support through the night, bringing expert care and support for families in need. Any donation big or small makes a difference to those who need it.
There are many ways of supporting the cause, which can be browsed on the Marie Curie website.
“Each year, Marie Curie spends considerable sums advertising for volunteer collectors. Could your club volunteer for next year?”, Ken said.
“If they know in advance that they have volunteers, they can save some of that money and at the same time you can promote Rotary in your town.”
For more information, visit the Marie Curie website.
