Tea and cakes make all the difference
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
THE leading light of a new Ross-shire fundraising group supporting a lifeline terminal nursing care service spoke this week of the trauamtic experience which spurred her on to get involved.
Tina Swanson, who is the chairperson of the new Marie Curie Mid Ross fundraising group, also lifted the lid on on a trailblazing scheme which is set to tantalise the tastebuds of workplaces across the county.
The new group, fronted by nine dynamic women from the Conon, Culbokie, Muir of Ord, Dingwall and Beauly areas, provides a focus for support of a charity which provides free terminal nursing care in the home.
Last year, Marie Curie’s 32 Highland nurses provided nearly 20,000 hours of care to 252 patients. Patients and relatives of those cared for have spoken of the immense burden such care helps share.
For Knockfarrel-based Tina, though, it was the absence of any such service in her native Fife, which set her on the path to becoming a Marie Curie volunteer 12 years ago. She said: "When I was a teenager my grandmother was sent home for six months. I was 15 and going through exams at the time. I know now what a huge difference it would have made if we had the support of these people then.
"My mother basically never slept for six months. Mum was only 39 herself and I know it had a huge affect on her. When you’re fundraising, people will sometimes pour out their hearts to you and tell you what a difference Marie Curie has made to them. It is humbling. Over the years, more and more people have these stories to tell."
Tina has also walked the Great Glen Way for the charity in memory of a friend and workmate, Liz Weatherall, who was from Muir of Ord. With funds still coming in, that looks set to boost funds by £2,000.
Describing the launch of the new group as "really exciting", she also revealed the group’s plans to put a novel twist on Marie Curie’s traditional Blooming Great Tea Parties. This initiative encourages supporters to stage tea parties of their own to raise funds during the months of June and July.
The Mid Ross group though is taking the idea a step further — and bringing the party to workplaces by offering to deliver mouth-watering home bakes in return for a donation.
A keen baker on the days she’s not doing the day job at Muir of Ord library, Tina explained: "Everyone tends to be so busy these days that it can be hard to get people to come to tea parties.
"We’re hoping that people will definitely be interested in buying some baking to have with their morning coffee or after lunch. So we’ll do the baking for them, bring it them and leave a collecting tin."
The trailblazing project will be run throughout June by prior arrangement. She plans baking up batches of her specialities - chocolate brownies; cupcakes; cookies, banana loaf and rice crispie squares — on her days off for delivery to workplaces.
Anyone interested in arranging a delivery or finding out more can contact Tina direct on 01349 863601.
