A charity ball in Castle Douglas helped raise thousands of pounds for youngsters with diabetes.
Soenaid Anderson organised the fundraiser at the Market Inn to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
Soenaid’s teenage daughter, Maisie, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2015. Since then, Soenaid – who runs KBT Pharmacy – has raised tens of thousands of pounds for the charity and successfully campaigned to have blood glucose monitors made free to everyone with type one diabetes in Scotland.
Almost £4,000 was raised at her latest event. It will go into the pot of money she is raising for JDRF by taking part in the London Marathon in October. It’ll be the second time she has tackled the 26.2-mile course, having also crossed the finish line in 2019. Soenaid said: “The support we have had is amazing and it is humbling to be part of such a fantastic community.
“When we last had the ball three years ago, we were going through a pocket of new cases.
“When I was doing my speech this time and looked around, I could see two or three parents whose children have been diagnosed since then – and that’s just in the Stewartry.”
Around 100 guests were welcomed to the black tie event by piper Glen Cunningham and enjoyed a two-course meal, with Ballet Box School of Dance surprising them with a performance.
The evening was compered by Mark Hutton with speeches from Seonaid and senior JDRF fundraiser Elspeth Campbell.
Maisie, together with pals Poppy and Willow and recorded accompaniment from Kirkcudbright Academy music teacher Hannah Gill, then sang Coldplay’s Fix You.
Soenaid explained: “It’s my marathon song as when I hear that it reminds me why I do these crazy things. I just want to fix her.”
A fantastic £2,000 was raised from a lucky squares competition, with prizes including a stay in a snug donated by Galloway View, a stay in a lodge at Carrick thanks to Sandra Wallace and an all-inclusive function worth £1,000 at the Market Inn thanks to Soenaid’s parents.
Thanks go to everyone involved in making the night such a huge success. A fundraising page for Soenaid’s London Marathon efforts will be launched shortly.
