Aberdeen-based children’s charity Charlie House today (February 14) announces the winner of the Rotary Clubs of Aberdeen and the North East Annual Raffle, in partnership with Gillanders Motors and Bon Accord after six months of raffle ticket selling.
The lucky winner is Neil McEwan, who is going to be taking home the car prize. He is going to drive away in an MG3 Excite 1.5 part-sponsored by Gillanders Motors which has been on display in a unit within the Bon Accord since July 2021. The car will be collected from Gillanders’ new premises in Altens, located on Wellington Circle. The car dealership has kindly donated 50% of the value of the vehicle.
Neil speaks of his excitement around winning: “I am amazed, and delighted to know that I bought the winning ticket in the raffle. For years I have bought a ticket in the Bon Accord and every year I just regarded it as more or less a donation being made to a very worthwhile cause. However, this year I am delighted to know that, as well helping the charity, I have won the prize. For anyone thinking about buying a ticket next year, I’d encourage you to do it as you might be the lucky person next Christmas Eve. Even if you don’t win, you’ll have made a worthwhile donation to charity.”
The members of 25 of the Rotary Clubs in Aberdeen and the North-east generously donate their time annually to support a charity via their annual raffle. The raffle has raised an amazing £17.6k for Charlie House’s Big Build Appeal with the remaining funds being shared among several other charities within the local community.
Speaking of the generous donation, senior fundraising coordinator, Donna Deans, says: “We are delighted with the response to this year’s raffle. The funds raised are going to help us get yet another step closer to opening our specialist support centre right here in Aberdeen. With the Big Build Appeal now sitting at the £3.6m mark of our £8m target, we might get to start digging soon. Team Charlie House, have your shovels at the ready!”
She adds: “As ever, we are extremely grateful to the Rotary Clubs of Aberdeen and the North East for their ongoing support, it makes a such difference and gives our appeal a great push at the end of the year. We would also like to give thanks to Gillanders Motors for supplying the car and Bon Accord for their partnership and allowing us to sell tickets within the centre. The support from the Rotary Clubs, local businesses and the people of Aberdeen and the North East means the world to Charlie House and the families we support.”
Alan Pirie, chairman of the organising committee and president of St Machar Rotary Club, comments: “Once again we have been delighted to be able to support Charlie House and have them as the main benefiting Charity for this our 20th Annual Car Raffle. For the second year in a row our participating Clubs have worked really hard to ensure the raffle is a success particularly in these trying times that we have all had to endure as a result of the pandemic. We hope that the funds raised will help Charlie House get their spades out and take the first steps to building their eagerly awaited and much needed care centre in the grounds of Woodend Hospital. We also must thank the management at the Bon Accord who gave us a shop unit to operate from this year and this certainly gave all our volunteers a base to work from and of course to Gillanders Motors who generously part sponsored the car."
There are 27 Rotary Clubs in Aberdeen and the North-east of which 25 participate in the raffle. For further information about Rotary please visit www.rotary1010.org
For more information about Charlie House and its services please visit www.charliehouse.org.uk or call 01224 313333.