As we launch our new website it seems appropriate to acknowledge the breadth of organisations that have raised money for the Branch over the last decade. They include the Craigentinny, Goldenacre, Stenhouse Community and Willowbrae Ladies Bowling Clubs, Ladies of Kingsknowe Golf Club, Jubilo Choir, Scotmid, Roseburn House, The High Constables of Edinburgh, Dalkeith Rotary Club, Dalkeith Singers, Laughter for Health, Brewdog (Cowgate pub), Water of Leith Pram Race, and the Swingettes accapella group.
Then there are the stalwart relatives of Branch Members and Friends who have taken on a variety of fundraising challenges for the Branch and/or Parkinson’s UK. Vice-Chair Patrick Mark’s son, James, completed the Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Brighton and Berlin Marathons. Volunteer Annette McLeod’s son, Keith, cycled from John o’Groats to Land’s End. Gavin, son of Branch Members Liz and Bill McBain, completed the Paris Marathon and numerous London Triathlons. Ex Branch Secretary, Liz Hume’s son, took the Parkinson’s UK Forth Bridge Abseil Challenge. Singing4Fun group member, Carol Mott, took on the Annapurna Circuit Trek. Member, Alastair Buchanan’s daughter, Lindsay, undertook the Cotswold Way Challenge. Our Tai Chi facilitator, Kevin Brown, consistently runs Edinburgh half-marathons.
Caroline Connor, daughter of Member Raymond Currie, was the first woman to swim the three longest lochs in Scotland. She completed Loch Lomond in 2017, Loch Awe in 2018 and finally Loch Ness in 2019 after her aborted Channel swim in June that year due to extreme sea-sickness by her one-man back-up crew. To justify the money she had raised, she first swam Lake Windermere and then Loch Ness.
Finally there are the unique fundraising activities. Branch friend, Gordon Reynolds took on the challenge of playing Santa one year. Folk-singer, Iain Young and his friends produced a CD “Time and Tide” with half the sales proceeds going to the Branch (the other half to St. Columba’s Hospice). Brother of Member, Liz McBain, Davey Johnstone, guitarist, song-writer and musical director best known for his long-standing work with Elton John, donated for auction, an acoustic guitar signed by Davey, Elton, Nigel Olsson and Ray Cooper.