Last week (Friday 3 November), the ladies of Edinburgh dug deep to raise an incredible £105,612 for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) at the city’s legendary Fawkes-y Ladies Lunch.

Held at Prestonfield House, Michelle McManus hosted the eighth annual event, where guests enjoyed fizz on arrival, a three-course meal, live music from F3 Entertainments Movie Mania and Michelle herself, as well as fundraising games. The ladies competed for exclusive prizes in the Silent Auction, such as a Tuscan villa for 10, South African five night safari and VIP tickets to see Little Mix.

The live auction, compered by former rugby union player, Andy Nicol, sent the ladies pulses racing as they bid for prizes such as a Luxury Archerfield golfing break for six and exclusive use of Alexander House for 21 people.

Guest of honour and speaker, Anne Hollern, made an emotional speech about her two children, Robbie and Rosie, who used Robin House in Balloch, and shared how CHAS helped to support her and family though the most traumatic time imaginable. She thanked the national children’s hospice service for helping her family to keep the joy alive by making every moment count for Robbie and Rosie’s short lives.

Diane Alton, Events Co-ordinator at CHAS said: “The Fawkes-y Ladies Lunches have become legendary, but this year, we’re blown away by the ladies of Edinburgh and their generosity. Without them, we could not raise the vital funds needed to provide the hospice services that children and families across Scotland rely so heavily on.

“We make sure that no matter how short a family’s time together may be, it is filled with happiness and fun. We keep the joy alive by helping families to celebrate the lives of their children while they are together, and to honour their memory when they are gone.

“Three children die of a life-shortening condition every week in Scotland, and at present, we’re only reaching one of those families. Our ambition is to reach every single one and offer our services and events like the Fawkes-y Ladies Lunch are so important in helping us raise awareness of our work.”

CHAS is the only charity in Scotland that provides hospice services for babies, children and young people with life-shortening conditions. The national charity offers palliative care and respite for the whole family via its two hospices, Rachel House in Kinross and Robin House in Balloch, and via its CHAS at Home service, which supports families in their own homes across the whole of Scotland.

For more information please contact Annabel Stiles, Press Officer, on 0131 444 4013 or email annabelstiles@chas.org.uk.

Image credit – Caroline Henry

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