London’s Royal Caledonian Ball supports small Scottish charities

TWELVE Scottish charities were today recipients of donations from the Royal Caledonian Ball, an annual social event which takes place in May at Grosvenor House in London.

At an informal lunch party held at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, the recently appointed Ball Chairman, Mrs Houston Morris, daughter-in-law of the late Edinburgh-based architect James Morris, handed over cheques to Borderline, which assists homeless and inscurely housed Scots; the Fet-Lor Youth project, providing key youth projects in the Greater Pilton area; Queen Victoria School, Dunblane, for children of Scottish members of the UK Armed Forces; St Catherine’s Convent Homeless Project, supporting the disadvantaged; Dumfries & Galloway Befriending Project which supports vulnerable young people; Maggies Centre, Dundee, for cancer sufferers; BacOut There, which rehabilitates army veterans; Bobath, improving the lives of those living with cerebral palsy; Borders Children’s Charity, providing financial assistance to distressed children; the Scottish Veterans Residences (SVR) Bellrock Close Appeal, Glasgow, which supports armed forces veterans; Gardening Leave, which facilitates horticultural therapy to army veterans faced with civilian life, and Skye & Lochalsh Young Carers.

The Royal Caledonian Ball began 165 years ago as a private social gathering for Scots in London and is today considered to be one of the highlights of the London Social season, Having consistently maintained an underlying purpose to raise money for small Scottish charities, it is estimated that over £3million has been given to Scottish causes since it began.

Star of the presentation ceremony today was Millie Jamieson, aged 2 1/2, who suffers from cerebral palsy, and who attended with her parents Janine and Craig Jamieson.

The Earl of Kinnoull, President of the Trust, commented:- “I am only sorry our resources are so limited. We have many applications and a very heart-rending grant process. Each of these very Scottish causes needs more help and I hope others will assist.”

Submitted by Roddy Martine